David Jones

David Jones has thousands of products of your favourite brands. Australia’s most reputable upmarket department store.

David Jones is Australia’s leading premium retailer. The iconic department store first opened its doors in 1838 with the mission to sell ‘the best and most exclusive goods’ and celebrated its 180th anniversary in 2018. It is also the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. David Jones offers customers superior products and services across national and international brands in fashion, beauty, food, technology, and homewares. David Jones currently has 45 stores as well as an online store, including its first international store in Wellington New Zealand, and two boutique format stores at Barangaroo Sydney, and James Street Brisbane.

The Beginning of David Jones & Co.
1838 – 1887
Just 50 years after the founding of the Colony, Mr. David Jones, a Welsh-born immigrant, opened “large and commodious premises” on the corner of George and Barrack Streets on 24 May 1838.
Mr. Jones’ mission was to sell “the best and most exclusive goods” and to carry “stock that embraces the everyday wants of mankind at large.”

The founding store’s location on the main artery of the new town, opposite the General Post Office, was a brilliant choice and the small store prospered. David Jones and Co. received patronage from not only the Sydney gentry, but also the country settlers. Everyone flocked to the store to buy buckskins, ginghams, waistcoat fabrics, silks and cotton tick.

David Jones eventually retired and left the management of the store to his business partners. Unfortunately, the store faced difficulties and the assets of David Jones were assigned to Trustees. He came back out of retirement, borrowed heavily, and with the help of new partners and his son Edward Lloyd Jones, managed to recreate the store’s success.

Edward Lloyd Jones had travelled widely overseas, and brought back to Sydney new ideas in retailing, including the European concept of a “department” store.

The First Australian Department Store Grows
1887 – 1919
David Jones went on to rebuild the George Street store in 1887. The building boasted the city’s first hydraulic lift, transporting astonished customers almost magically through the store.
The new premises allowed the retailer to expand and to include furniture and furnishings. New designs and imports surprised and delighted eager customers. In 1890, David Jones released its first catalogue and the mail order department sent parcels to all corners of Australia.

The store attracted the most eminent citizens, from nobilities such as King Kackumbo of Fiji and King George of Tonga and his Queen Consort.

David Jones contemplated its reliance on imports and for the first time in its history invested significantly in local design and manufacture. David Jones opened the Marlborough Street factory – the largest of its kind in Australia – manufacturing a huge variety of goods from clothing to cabin trunks.

In 1906, David Jones became a public company and in 1920 it was listed on the stock exchange.

The New Flagship is Born
1920s
In the 1920’s, David Jones Limited, now a public company, announced plans to build another city store.
A block of land had been purchased on Market Street between Elizabeth street and Castlereagh street. The decision to move was considered madness by many as the area was considered remote from the city’s retail centre.

Charles Lloyd Jones Junior now succeeded his brother Edward as chairman of David Jones Limited. He also proved to be a visionary, and undertook the building of the new Elizabeth Street store.

When it opened in 1927, this grand department store, which remains the flagship of the company to this day, single-handedly moved the hub of Sydney’s retailing to Hyde Park.

Trading Continues During Wartime
1938 – 1945
To mark the store’s 100th anniversary, another store on Market Street was opened by the Prime Minister ‘Billy’ Hughes in 1938.
But soon afterwards the Second World War broke out and the new store became occupied by the Ministry of Munitions.

During World War II David Jones continued trading, despite the rations, the hard times and the loss of staff to the Armed Forces. A large section of the George Street store was converted into a Club for those serving in the forces.

Paris Arrives in Sydney
1947
David Jones brought Sydney out of the post-war doldrums with Paris-style fashion parades in 1947.
Pierre Balmain had the women of Sydney enthralled, and one year later, David Jones brought the collection of Christian Dior’s famous ‘New Look’ to Sydney, the first time Dior had ever shown outside Paris.