Goodbye, Lily & River? A Closer Look at the Brand’s Latest Closure & What It Means
- Briesha Bell
- Mar 22
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 2
In a rather confusing turn of events, beloved Montessori climbing toy business, Lily & River announced they were reopening only to close shop again, just two months later.
If you tried visiting the Lily and River website in late February, you were unexpectedly redirected to a long, sketchy-looking URL with a message that read:
"Closing our doors. Changing Lives Meant Everything. We would like to continue building toys for your Littles and ours but factors out of our control have made it impossible for us to continue our toy factory.”
Yet, just weeks later, their site flaunted a new message, announcing a relaunch, “GUESS WHAT? We’re relaunching in early April 2025”.
...Well, the relaunch came and went, along with the whole website. 🙃
What happened to the company? I don't have all the answers behind their closure. However, I did some sleuthing on behalf of my fellow confused and curious caregivers. Here's what I've been able to piece together.
Disclosure: After seeing the initial closure announcement in March, I did try to reach out to the company via their contact form. I shared my genuine appreciation for their play equipment and simply asked, “Why are you guys closing?” I’ve yet to receive a reply.
Did Lily and River Actually Close?
Lily and River shared a closure announcement on their website sometime between February 20 and March 5, 2025.
Between March 13 and March 14, the company explained that the closure was only temporary and they'd be relaunching mid-April.
The relaunch did come, but was rather short-lived. By mid-late June, the Lily and River website went completely down. So, I think it's safe to say that they're currently closed. It is unclear if they'll be reopening.
Timeline of Closure & Relaunching
February 20- March 5
🔹 Lily & River placed closure announcement on website
March 7
🔹 At least one customer reported difficulty getting responses from Lily & River’s customer support team
March 8
🔹 One buyer was allegedly told to “dispute with their bank” if they wanted their money back
March 11
🔹 Comments were hidden and turned off on Instagram
Between March 13 and March 14
🔹 Lily & River removed the closure announcement and replaced it with a announcement saying, “GUESS WHAT? We’re relaunching in early April 2025.”
No explanation, just a really casual, 'We're coming back!' 🤨
Around Mid-April
🔹 Website relaunches, but not all pages were back up and running. For example, their "Toy Makers (About Us)" section was completely removed.
Late May
🔹 The storefront was still running on May 30, 2025, but customers were definitely experiencing some issues. One reader of this blog post reached out to me explaining that she placed an order towards the end of May. After following up about her order, she received a response that was "beyond concerning."
Sometime in mid-late June
🔹 Lily and River website completely shut down their website. No redirects this time.
Customers Express Frustration
I was surprised not to see the closure mentioned on any of Lily and River’s social media channels. So, I did what any millennial would do, turned to the comment section on their last Instagram post to see what people were saying— and sure enough, customers had questions.
Here’s the conversation exchange from their last IG post between a follower and a customer in the comment section on March 9:
jennifaaaaaa: Are you guys restocking?
nemoisnobody: they're not and they are done
clau.s.cajal: Does anybody know what is happening with the purchases already made? Are we getting them? Is anybody in this situation?
nemoisnobody: @clau.s.cajal my sister got a really, really rude response on email from them after just nicely asking them when would she get her order. They told her to just dispute with the bank
clau.s.cajal: Can you dm me?
clau.s.cajal: @clau.s.cajal so far they have been nice to me, and told me I would get it, but from last week I'm getting no answers.
* * *
Seemingly annoyed about the conversations happening in the comment section, Lily & River's responded by hiding previous comments on their IG posts, in addition to turning off their comment section. Thank goodness for screenshots!
Since there appears to be at least one alleged incident of Lily and River advising a customer to dispute with their banks, this strongly suggests they could not or would not process refunds directly. According to my mock law consultant, ChatGPT (model GPT-4o), when companies provide responses like this, it's usually a “sign of financial distress, or an effort to minimize losses before shutting down.”
It’s worth noting that another brand selling wooden climbing toys, Wiwiurka, has also temporarily closed, but with more transparency. Their homepage clearly states: NOTICE: Our store is temporarily closed. We currently have no inventory available. While Wiwiurka kept their temporary closure off social media channels, they aren't hiding customer/follower comments.
Why It Matters to Mindful Shoppers
I’ve never personally purchased from Lily & River, but I’ve seen firsthand all the fun that their toys bring kiddos— while babysitting for families, and watching my bestie’s toddler conquer his Pikler climber. It’s been such a joy to see these little ones develop the gross motor skills to master their play equipment with autonomy and confidence. That’s why I’ve included items like their Little Dome and Pikler Climber on my list of Curated Resources for Gifting Kids' Toys.
But transparency matters. As much as we all love the quality of their toys, it’s hard to ignore the company's lack of communication. Customers should be able to trust that brands are open and honest, especially when such high-ticket purchases are involved.
What We Still Don’t Know
Since the relaunch went live in April, Lily and River still hasn't acknowledged the confusion they’ve inadvertently caused. Caregivers and potential customers deserve some clarity to the following questions:
What happened with the “uncontrollable factors” that forced them to close?
Were there supply chain issues that have since been resolved?
Was this a mismanaged transition or a business restructuring?
What happened to customers with pending orders?
Why was the closure so secretive?
Why is their website down again?
Even if their website goes back online soon, I highly suggest you proceed with caution before making a purchase. Keep in mind that none of the aforementioned questions have yet to be addressed.
Hopefully this post validated the confusion you or another Lily & River fan might be feeling.
Thanks a bunch for reading! Did I get anything wrong? Please let me know. And if you were on Lily & River's email list, impacted by the closure, and/or have more info, leave a comment below or send me an email.
Sincerely,
Briesh
P.S. Stay Conscious + Curious!