Riot Art & Craft close all of its 56 stores in Australia - with staff finding out they've been sacked over TEXT

One of Australia's leading art and craft retailers has closed all 56 of its stores, informing shocked employees that they no longer had a job over text message. 

Riot Art & Craft is the latest iconic business to close down its stores after the company went into liquidation last week.

At least 140 staff from 56 stores lost their jobs last Monday after being told their services were no longer needed.

Insolvency firm Dye & Co told Daily Mail Australia an estimated $3.5 million in wages and entitlements owed to staff would be paid.

Riot Art and Craft stores have closed down after its company went into liquidation

But their assurances have done nothing to allay the fears of staff who claim they were sacked without notice.  

'All stores are closed as of today. You are not required to be at work tomorrow,' company director Matthew Kurc's text to staff obtained by Nine News stated.

'The liquidator will be in touch with you regarding your entitlements. A massive thank you to everyone for all your years of service.'

Shocked employees have since vented their anger on social media, claiming they weren't paid for the final fortnight they worked.

'Yes, liquidation can happen unexpectedly, but to receive nothing but a text at the very end of a work day, conveniently the day before your fortnightly pay was supposed to come through?' A Perth-based employee posted.

'Funnily enough, my pay for the last fortnight of standing in an empty store, telling customers "we're just waiting on stock" because that's all we were told, has not come through. 

'No mention of even a possibility that we may be closing permanently.'

At least 140 staff received the shock news via text message last Monday night

Shocked Riot Art and Craft employees have since vented their anger on social media

Another former employee who worked for Riot Art and Craft for six-and-a-half years claimed the number of affected staff was closer to 300.

Mr Kurc was the director at SLKALT Pty Ltd, the company which operated Riot Art and Craft almost half a century before going into liquidation last week.

'Honestly, after 46 years in business it's been very traumatic closing doors and beyond that it's out of my hands, it's with the liquidator,' Mr Kurc told Nine. 

The online component of Riot Art & Craft has reportedly been sold and will continue to trade under the same name.

The business description on Riot Art & Craft's Facebook page describes itself as 'Australia's leading online arts and crafts specialty retailer'.

Riot Art & Craft's Facebook page has been flooded with memes and poor reviews since its former company went into liquidation last week

The page has been inundated with poor online reviews in recent days with customers vowing to boycott the online retailer.

'Many wonderful staff were made redundant and treated like dirt. Shame on you. I'll never buy anything from you again,' one review stated.

Another added: 'They're not paying staff and have sacked all staff overnight via text message. No benefits are being paid. No pay checks are being given that are owed. Stand with the staff - the people that have been serving you with a smile for years and stay away from this company. Don’t buy online from this company.'

Iconic retailer Riot Art & Craft will continue to have an online presence after 56 stores were closed last week

Dye & Co director Nicholas Giasoumi told Daily Mail Australia 140 affected staff will 'absolutely' will be paid their entitlements.

But he was unable to give a time frame, claiming it was part of the government process.

'We have sent a notification to the staff in relation to making a claim from the government under the Fair Entitlement Guarantee Act in respect to their wages and other entitlements," Mr Giasoumi said.

'We appreciate it's been a hard time for staff, especially in the current environment.'