Rave Hairspray
Fate: other Big hair era hairspray with '4X Mega Hold' formula
The searchable archive of brands that disappeared.
Vanished Brands is a searchable archive of 97 defunct and discontinued brands, browsable by decade, category, and fate — with a research-ready CSV dataset for journalists, analysts, and the merely nostalgic.
- 97
- Defunct brands
- 1879–2024
- Years covered
- 14
- Categories
- Free sample
- CSV dataset
Why brands disappear
When smartphones absorbed MP3 players, when e-commerce reshaped malls, when streaming remade media — vanished brands were the first visible signals of change. Each page summarizes the basics (founded, defunct, fate) with sources and related reading.
Explore defunct and discontinued brands by category, decade, and A–Z index. Each brand page summarizes the timeline, fate, and key facts. A downloadable CSV dataset is available for analysts, researchers, and journalists.
Featured Collections
🕹️ 90s Brands We Still Miss
See all 90s brands →Snapple Whipper Snapple
Fate: other Shelf-stable smoothies from 1998, won awards then vanished
Star Wars Episode I Pepsi Collection
Fate: other Phantom Menace tie-in with hidden phrases and collectibles
Kinney Shoes
Fate: shutdown The shoe chain that quietly launched Foot Locker — and then disappeared when the parent company doubled down on sneaker…
McDonald's Szechuan Sauce
Fate: other Limited dipping sauce that caused riots 19 years later
Carnation Breakfast Bars
Fate: other Granola nostalgia that predated energy bars
Woolworth (US)
Fate: shutdown The five-and-dime that evolved into Foot Locker’s parent company.
Yamaha RX100
Fate: other Featherweight 2-stroke that punched far above 100cc—and became a cult icon in India.
🍿 Discontinued Snacks We Crave
See all food brands →Fruit Stripe
Fate: other Rainbow-striped gum with Yipes the zebra—discontinued in 2024.
Brach’s Maple Nut Goodies
Fate: other Maple toffee–peanut clusters that quietly disappeared in the early 2020s
Red Bull Red Edition (Cranberry)
Fate: other The original Red Edition flavor—cranberry—quietly vanished when Watermelon took its place.
Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash
Fate: other Limited-edition cranberry lemon-lime soda that became a holiday tradition before vanishing
Hubba Bubba Bubble Jug
Fate: other Powder that turned into gum, pure 90s magic
Apple Newtons
Fate: other The fruit-filled Newton cookie—spun off from Fig Newtons—with an apple-cinnamon filling.
Freshen-Up (gum)
Fate: other Liquid-center chewing gum famous for the slogan “the gum that goes squirt.”
Jolt Cola
Fate: bankruptcy Energy drink before energy drinks existed
💰 Billion-Dollar Failures
See all bankruptcies →Tuesday Morning
Fate: bankruptcy Discount home goods for 49 years, closed all stores in 2023
FTX
Fate: bankruptcy Crypto exchange lost $8 billion, founder now convicted
Wirecard
Fate: fraud €1.9 billion 'disappeared,' CEO arrested for fraud
Sears (Canada)
Fate: liquidated Outlasted catalog era, couldn't survive e-commerce
Theranos
Fate: fraud Elizabeth Holmes' $9B blood-testing fraud
Toys “R” Us
Fate: bankruptcy Childhood wonderland crushed by $5B debt and Amazon
American Apparel (original company)
Fate: bankruptcy Made in USA basics, two bankruptcies, sold to Gildan
Wet Seal
Fate: bankruptcy Mall-era fast fashion for teens and young women; twice-bankrupt, shuttered stores in 2017.
Browse by Category
Browse by Decade
Explore brands by the decade they ended (or started when unknown).
Recently Defunct (featured)
Fruit Stripe
Fate: other Rainbow-striped gum with Yipes the zebra—discontinued in 2024.
Silicon Valley Bank
Fate: shutdown Collapsed in 48 hours, sparked 2023 banking crisis
Tuesday Morning
Fate: bankruptcy Discount home goods for 49 years, closed all stores in 2023
Brach’s Maple Nut Goodies
Fate: other Maple toffee–peanut clusters that quietly disappeared in the early 2020s
FTX
Fate: bankruptcy Crypto exchange lost $8 billion, founder now convicted
Fry's Electronics
Fate: shutdown Silicon Valley's paradise for nerds, killed by Amazon
Jet (retail)
Fate: acquired Walmart's $3.3B Amazon killer, shut down 4 years later
Red Bull Red Edition (Cranberry)
Fate: other The original Red Edition flavor—cranberry—quietly vanished when Watermelon took its place.
Wirecard
Fate: fraud €1.9 billion 'disappeared,' CEO arrested for fraud