David Jones will open its first store outside of Australia next year in Wellington, New Zealand.
The department store will open its New Zealand flagship store in Lambton Quay, Wellington on the site of NZ-based department store, Kirkcaldie & Stains.
Under an agreement subject to a number of conditions precedent, including Kirkcaldie & Stains shareholder approval, David Jones will take a lease assignment of the store and purchase the brand name when Kirkcaldie & Stains ceases to trade early next year.
It also intends to offer employment to the majority of the current Kirkcaldie & Stains retail workforce.
David Jones CEO, Iain Nairn said, “This is an exciting new venture for David Jones, giving us a significant initial presence in New Zealand’s growing market with a prime location in the thriving capital, Wellington
“We were excited when Kirkcaldie & Stains approached us. David Jones is a recognised brand in New Zealand and we’re confident this beautiful building in this cosmopolitan city is the perfect home for our first New Zealand store. We are proud to reinvigorate the historic retail space and maintain it as the home of New Zealand’s premium department store, when we open David Jones Wellington next year.”
Nairn said the launch of David Jones in Wellington aims to inspire New Zealand shoppers, offering them access to an extensive selection of quality brands.
“We’ll be bringing an edit of our range to the market to offer New Zealanders an expanded assortment of Australian, international and private label brands. We’re also looking forward to seeing more from New Zealand designers.”
David Jones will take on the Kirkcaldie & Stains lease when they close in February 2016 and is expected to open for trade in Wellington in mid-2016 following an internal upgrade of the department store.
David Jones Wellington will open under the retailer’s “Next Generation” store format, with a fully modernised interior.
David Jones will be the fifth Woolworths company to launch into New Zealand, successful brands Country Road, Witchery, Trenery, and Mimco.
Nairn, who was CEO of Witchery Group and then Country Road Group before taking the helm at David Jones, said the success of these brands and a positive experience launching Witchery and Mimco in New Zealand had, in part, influenced the department store’s response to the opportunity.
