The Revival of Lily & River: From Abrupt Closure to an Unexpected Relaunch
- Briesha Bell
- Mar 23
- 4 min read
In a rather confusing turn of events, beloved Montessori play equipment business Lily & River has officially announced that they are not closing shop after all.
For a little while, when potential customers typed in the Lily and River website domain, we were redirected to a long, sketchy-looking URL. Like me, your heart probably sank as you read the message that followed:
"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 website is flaunting a new message, announcing a relaunch, “GUESS WHAT? We’re relaunching in early April 2025”.
What happened? Why did they say they were closing, only to reverse course? I can't claim to have all the answers, but hopefully this post will validate the confusion you or another fan might be feeling.
Did Lily and River Actually Close?
Lily and River shared the closure announcement on their website sometime between February 20 and March 5, 2025. An internet archive capture shows that things were going business as usual at least through February 20, 2025. Between March 13 and March 14, it became apparent that the closure is only temporary. I wasn’t on their email list, so I can’t vouch for when or how customers were informed directly.
After seeing the closure announcement, I did reach out via their contact form, in which I shared my genuine appreciation for their play equipment. I also asked, “Why are you guys closing?” I’ve yet to receive a reply. So, in the meantime, I did some sleuthing on behalf of fellow confused and curious caregivers.
Timeline of Closure & Relaunching
February 20- March 5
🔹 Lily & River place 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 are 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!' 🤨
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 lack of communication. Customers should be able to trust that brands are open and honest, especially when high-ticket purchases are involved.
What We Still Don’t Know
When the relaunch goes live in April, it’ll be very interesting to see if Lily and River acknowledge 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?
Whether or not these questions are addressed could make a difference in how caregivers approach their brand moving forward.
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!
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