Outdoor brand Patagonia has announced that it will temporarily close all Australian stores in a bid to keep its staff and community healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The store closures came into effect on March 18 and the business' eight stores will remain closed until March 27.
The announcement follows an initial reduction of store hours across Australia, which was announced on March 16.
The business will also transition a portion of its office staff to a work-from-home model.
"We have taken this step out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of all of our retail team members, their families and the community broadly, after initially planning for reduced trading hours," Patagonia said in a statement.
"Our online store will remain open at this time, and we are working closely with this team to ensure their safety while they provide service and fulfil orders.
"Our customer support line and office staff will continue to provide service remotely.
"As the situation changes, we will continue to make decisions based on the best interests of our employees, customers and community at large.
"We thank you all for your business, loyalty and patience."