David Jones
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedAn Australian upper-mid-market department-store retailer spanning fashion, beauty, home, food and lifestyle products.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
David Jones is an Australian department-store retailer founded in Sydney in 1838 by Welsh merchant David Jones. It is widely described as the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. The business began as a general merchant operation and developed into a department-store network offering apparel, accessories, cosmetics, furniture, homewares, electrical goods, gourmet food and other lifestyle categories. Its customer proposition has historically combined premium locations, curated international and Australian brands, service-oriented retailing and substantial flagship stores. The original business grew from a Sydney partnership between David Jones and Charles Appleton. After that partnership ended, Jones established an independent store near George Street and Barrack Lane. The company survived the economic difficulties of the 1840s and later expanded its merchandise range, mail-order activities and manufacturing capabilities. A rebuilt George Street store and a factory in Sydney helped the business reduce its dependence on imported products. After David Jones's death, the company remained associated with the Jones family for several generations, although ownership and management structures changed over time. The retailer's physical identity was shaped by major Sydney stores. An Elizabeth Street flagship opened in 1927, followed by the Market Street store in 1938. The Elizabeth Street location became particularly associated with premium retail, hospitality and cultural programming. David Jones operated an art gallery from 1944 to 1992, hosting exhibitions and supporting the retailer's image as a cultural as well as commercial institution. The company also supported the Dajonian Repertory Society, an employee theatre group active principally during the 1930s and 1940s. From the mid-twentieth century, David Jones expanded beyond central Sydney through acquisitions and new stores. It entered or enlarged its presence in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland by acquiring established regional department stores and converting selected premises. In 1974 it acquired the United States Buffum's chain, although that business was later closed. In 1980, Adelaide Steamship Company acquired David Jones, ending the Jones family's control. The wider corporate structure subsequently became heavily leveraged and was affected by the early-1990s recession. After asset sales and restructuring, the department-store operations were separated and floated as David Jones Limited in 1995. The public-company era brought periods of expansion, store refurbishment, online retail development and strategic difficulty. In the early 2000s the company returned to Western Australia and attempted to develop additional retail concepts, while also closing underperforming stores and its then online business. The global downturn affected sales, and management changes followed. Chief executive Mark McInnes resigned in 2010 after allegations of sexual harassment involving an employee. Paul Zahra subsequently led restructuring and digital expansion but later became involved in a governance dispute with the board. David Jones was the subject of proposed combinations with rival Myer in 2013 and 2014, but those approaches did not proceed. Instead, South African retail group Woolworths Holdings acquired David Jones in 2014. Woolworths later sold the Market Street property and consolidated operations in Sydney, closing the Market Street store in 2019 and expanding the Elizabeth Street flagship. David Jones also entered New Zealand through the acquisition and conversion of the Wellington department store formerly operated by Kirkcaldie & Stains, followed by an Auckland store at Westfield Newmarket. In 2023, Woolworths Holdings sold David Jones to Australian private-equity firm Anchorage Capital Partners. Under its private ownership, the retailer has pursued store optimisation, refurbishment and new commercial initiatives. These have included a major renovation of the Bourke Street Mall store in Melbourne and the launch of Amplify, a retail-media unit intended to sell advertising access to David Jones customers. The business remains an active Australian department-store brand, with its core proposition centred on premium and upper-mid-market fashion, beauty, home and food retailing through stores and digital channels.
History
David Jones began in Sydney in 1838 after Welsh merchant David Jones ended his partnership with Charles Appleton and established a business under his own name. The company survived the economic depression of the 1840s and continued to develop as a general retailer. By the late nineteenth century it had rebuilt its George Street premises, introduced mail-order operations and opened a Sydney factory. Following David Jones's death, the business continued under members of the Jones family and became a public company in 1906. The retailer's twentieth-century identity was anchored by the Elizabeth Street store, opened in 1927, and the Market Street store, opened in 1938. The Elizabeth Street location included restaurant and cultural facilities and hosted a state banquet for Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. The David Jones Art Gallery operated from 1944 until 1992 and presented exhibitions by Australian artists, international collections and arts organisations. During the 1930s and 1940s, the Dajonian Repertory Society also performed plays with support from the Sydney store. From the 1950s through the 1970s, David Jones expanded through acquisitions and conversions of regional department stores. Its network extended across New South Wales and into Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. It acquired the American Buffum's chain in 1974, although the US operation was later closed. In 1980 Adelaide Steamship Company acquired David Jones, bringing the family-controlled era to an end. Complex ownership and borrowing arrangements involving Adelaide Steamship and related companies became unsustainable during the early-1990s recession. Assets were sold, corporate entities were restructured and the department-store assets were floated as David Jones Limited in 1995. The listed company pursued expansion and refurbishment but experienced uneven performance. It returned to Western Australia in 2000, closed several underperforming operations after a strategic review in 2003 and periodically changed its approach to online retail and food concepts. The 2009 global downturn contributed to weaker sales. In 2010 chief executive Mark McInnes resigned after allegations of sexual harassment. Paul Zahra subsequently led restructuring and online expansion, but his relationship with the board deteriorated. Zahra announced a resignation in 2013, later staying temporarily amid shareholder opposition to chairman Peter Mason; Mason and other directors subsequently left the board. Myer made approaches for a possible merger in 2013 and 2014, but the proposals did not proceed. David Jones instead accepted Woolworths Holdings' cash offer in 2014. Woolworths expanded the business into New Zealand through the former Kirkcaldie & Stains store in Wellington in 2016 and a new Auckland store in 2019. It also sold David Jones's 1938 Market Street property, leading to the closure of the store in 2019 and the consolidation of departments at Elizabeth Street. In 2023, Woolworths Holdings sold David Jones to Anchorage Capital Partners. The privately owned retailer has since focused on store optimisation, refurbishment and additional commercial revenue. It launched Amplify as a retail-media division and began a substantial redevelopment program that included the Bourke Street Mall store in Melbourne. David Jones continues to operate as an Australian-led department-store brand with a presence in Australia and New Zealand.
- 2023
Anchorage Capital Partners acquires David Jones
[1]The retailer moved from Woolworths Holdings ownership to Australian private-equity ownership.
- 2019
Market Street store closes
[1]The Sydney Market Street store closed and its operations were consolidated into Elizabeth Street.
- 2014
Woolworths Holdings takeover completed
[1]South African retailer Woolworths Holdings acquired David Jones.
- 1995
Department-store assets floated
[1]The department-store operations were separated and floated as David Jones Limited on the Australian market.
- 1980
Adelaide Steamship takes control
[1]Adelaide Steamship Company acquired David Jones, ending the Jones family's ownership.
- 1944
David Jones Art Gallery founded
[1]The Elizabeth Street store began operating an art gallery that remained active until 1992.
- 1938
Market Street store opens
[1]David Jones opened its major Market Street store in Sydney.
- 1927
Elizabeth Street flagship opens
[1]The Elizabeth Street store opened in Sydney and became a defining location for the brand.
- 1906
Company becomes public
[1]David Jones changed from a private company into a public company.
- 1887
George Street store rebuilt and mail order introduced
[1]The company rebuilt its George Street premises and developed mail-order retailing.
Products and positioning
Upper-mid-market to premium department-store retail, with an emphasis on curated brands, service, flagship locations and fashion, beauty, home and food categories.
Apparel
Fashion
David Jones sells women's, men's and children's apparel across contemporary, premium and designer segments. Its fashion offer includes clothing, footwear, accessories, seasonal collections and selected Australian and international labels. The category has traditionally been central to the retailer's department-store identity and flagship-store merchandising.
Beauty and cosmetics
Beauty
The beauty business includes cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, haircare and associated services. David Jones uses premium beauty brands and staffed counters to support its service-led positioning, particularly in major metropolitan stores.
Homewares and furniture
Home
Home departments cover furniture, kitchenware, bedding, textiles, dining products, décor and related household merchandise. Homewares became especially prominent in the expanded Elizabeth Street flagship after the closure of the Market Street store.
Food and beverage
Food
David Jones has long used gourmet food and hospitality as part of its department-store proposition. Its food offer has included packaged groceries, confectionery, beverages and other specialty products, including private-label food merchandise.
Controversies
2013
Board and governance dispute
A dispute involving chief executive Paul Zahra, chairman Peter Mason and other directors produced leadership instability and departures from the board.
2010
Mark McInnes sexual-harassment allegations
Chief executive Mark McInnes resigned after allegations that he had sexually harassed a female employee.
Brand decisions
2023
Sale to Anchorage Capital PartnersM&ABackground
Woolworths Holdings decided to exit the Australian department-store investment.
Action taken
Anchorage Capital Partners acquired David Jones and took it into private ownership.
Aftermath
The business began a store-optimisation and refurbishment program and launched a retail-media division.
2023
Amplify retail-media launchStrategyBackground
David Jones sought additional commercial revenue beyond merchandise sales.
Action taken
It established Amplify to provide advertising opportunities to brands and selected tourism and lifestyle partners.
Aftermath
The initiative added a customer-data and media-sales component to the retailer's business model.
2019
Sydney flagship consolidationStrategyBackground
Woolworths Holdings sold the Market Street property and planned a more concentrated Sydney flagship format.
Action taken
David Jones closed Market Street and moved departments into the Elizabeth Street store, expanding its shopping floors.
Aftermath
Elizabeth Street became the principal Sydney flagship.
2014
Sale to Woolworths HoldingsM&ABackground
After Myer's unsuccessful merger approaches, David Jones received a cash proposal from Woolworths Holdings.
Action taken
The board recommended the Woolworths Holdings transaction, which was approved by the Federal Court of Australia.
Aftermath
David Jones became part of Woolworths Holdings and later expanded into New Zealand.
Implied market capitalisation. A$2.15 billion (2014 transaction announcement)
- Myer — Myer withdrew its proposed merger-of-equals approach after David Jones announced the Woolworths Holdings transaction.
2003
Strategic review closes underperforming operationsStrategyBackground
Following a reported loss and a review of the business, David Jones reassessed its store and concept portfolio.
Action taken
The company closed the Rockingham store, exited the Fountain Gate lease, ended its then online business and closed Foodchain gourmet stores.
Aftermath
The retailer concentrated resources on core department stores and later revitalised major Sydney locations.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reported
David Jones and GlamCorner partner on fashion rental[3]
David Jones partnered with Australian fashion rental service GlamCorner to offer a rental hub through the GlamCorner website and David Jones’s Elizabeth Street flagship store.
Reported
David Jones launches 50% off sale[4]
Australian retailer David Jones launched a sale offering 50 per cent off markdowns across items including kitchenware, headphones, cutlery and clothing, available online.
Reported
David Jones announced Fortitude Valley store closure[5]
David Jones announced that its store in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, was closing.
Reported
David Jones opened its first stand-alone gourmet food store[6]
David Jones opened its first stand-alone gourmet food store at Capitol Grand on Melbourne’s Chapel Street.
Sources6 sources
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