[Hyeona]Forever 21 Goes Viral One Last Time : The End of an Era in Retail

Once an iconic brand among millennials, Forever 21 is closing all of its locations in the United States as a result of ongoing financial difficulties and a failure to change with today’s trends. However, because of massive clearance sales, it unexpectedly goes viral on TikTok before going away completely.

History of Forever 21
Forever 21 was founded by Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang, two Korean immigrants, who opened their first store in Los Angeles in 1984. As a fast-fashion company, the clothes were trendy and affordably priced, which caused the company to gain popularity in American malls in the early 2000s with the support of many teenagers, and its iconic bright yellow bags made it easy to spot. Over 800 stores were later opened throughout the country, and for numerous millennials, it was more than a store—it was a part of growing up.

Fall of Forever 21
However, it began to fall, and finally in 2019, Forever 21 ended up closing 30 percent of the U.S. stores after they filed their first bankruptcy. Later, it was acquired by Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a brand management company that owns and licenses brands such as Aeropostale and Reebok. Under ABG’s ownership, they have tried to reconstruct the brand ever since then. They tried influencer partnerships and social media marketing to increase its online presence. But foot traffic dropped, sales kept lagging, and the company struggled to compete in a market dominated by online sellers like Temu and Shein. In 2025, they filed their second bankruptcy and decided to close all stores in the United States. Jamie Salter, the CEO of ABG, later said that purchasing Forever 21 was “probably the biggest mistake” he had ever made.

TikTok Viral
Forever 21 has gone viral one final time on social media platform TikTok as the business fades out. Videos demonstrating their huge purchases at up to 90% off are being shared on social media by fans with hashtags like #Forever21Haul and #ClosingSale. TikTok is being used to record the last-minute purchases in Forever 21 before it permanently closed.

These popular “closing hauls” are more than just discount shopping for many people. They represent the last farewell to a brand linked to memories of mall hangouts and back-to-school shopping. One TikToker expressed the bittersweet emotion, saying, “It’s a shame that Forever 21, once my favorite brand, is gone forever.”

The collapse of Forever 21 represents a change in the retail industry as a whole, not just the closure of a single store. Today, many customers value convenience and sustainability, which leads them to more online shopping rather than going to a mall. Forever 21’s story reflects how much our purchasing habits have shifted as malls continue to close and the fast fashion industry changes. Forever 21 may no longer have physical stores, but it lives in people’s memories and, more recently, through TikTok feeds.