Out of business Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Economic Failure Used to indicate that a business has stopped making money and cannot continue. Many restaurants go out of business within their first year. Pro Tip 2/3Permanent Closure Often implies that the shutdown of operations is permanent, not just a temporary break. Once a shop is out of business, it rarely reopens. Pro Tip 3/3Not Bankruptcy Does not always mean the company has gone bankrupt; it could close for other reasons. The owner retired and put the store out of business.