David Jones & Co is Australia’s first
established retail company. It was founded by a Welsh-born merchant, Mr. David
Jones, in 1838 in Sydney. His mission was to the best and most exclusive goods.
David Jones & Co became popular amongst the settlers. A few years later Mr.
Jones decided to retire and left his business to his business partners.
Unfortunately, David Jones & Co was slipping into bankruptcy and this
forced Mr. Jones to come back out of retirement. With the help from his new partners
and son, Edward Lloyd Jones, he managed to restore the business. Edward Lloyd
Jones also brought new ideas from his travel that helped develop the company.
David Jones store on George Street in
Sydney was rebuilt and expanded in 1887. The retailer now did not only sell
cloths and clothing, it also sold furniture and furnishings. Three years later
David Jones released its first catalogue and sent parcels to customers all
around the country. Its range of customers had now expanded as well. Its
patronage did not only come from Sydney-siders and Australians but also from
Fijian and Tongan royalties. In 1906, David Jones became a public company and
in 1920 it was listed on the stock exchange.
In 1920s, after becoming a public company,
David Jones Ltd announced to build another store in Sydney. Its second store
was located on Market Street. This decision was considered controversial, as
the new store would be located far from Sydney’s retail centre. Shortly after
this decision, Charles Lloyd Jones Jr succeeded his brother Edward Lloyd Jones
and became the new chairman of David Jones Ltd.
In 1938, to mark its 100th
anniversary, David Jones Ltd opened another store on Elizabeth Street. Soon
afterwards, World War II broke and despite the hardship caused by the war the
store continued to operate. A large section of the George Street store served a
Club for those serving in the forces. After the war, David Jones Ltd blew in
fresh air in to Sydney with Paris-style fashion parade in 1947, including
Pierre Balmain’s collection. A year later, David Jones Ltd brought Christian
Dior’s famous ‘New Look’ collection and it was Dior’s first show outside Paris.
In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II became the
first British Monarch to visit Australia. This was not only a milestone for the
Queen and Australia, it was also an important event for David Jones Ltd. The
Great Restaurant on the 7th floor of David Jones store on Elizabeth
Street was chosen as the venue for a State Banquet in her honour.
Between 1955-1985, David Jones Ltd expanded
quickly and widely. The company grew from three stores in Sydney to a lot more
Australia-wide, including Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South
Australia, and Victoria. The next few decades up to today have mostly been
advancement for David Jones Ltd. The company has now 36 stores all across
Australia, a few ambassador including Maureen Duval, Lauren Hutton, Megan Gale,
Miranda Kerr, and Jessica Gomes. In 2000, the refurbishment of their store at
Adelaide Central Plaza won a prestigious international award as the best newly
completed store in the world.
In 2010, David Jones Ltd launched premium
in-store services such as Personal Shopping and Bridal, re-established its
digital presence, for new partnerships, and created its Future Direction as an
Omni Channel Retailer. It signed an exclusive agreement with Roxy and
Quiksilver. Today, in spite of its tremendous journey, progress, and changes,
David Jones Ltd maintain its foundation as Australia’s leading retailer.
