David Jones Newmarket opening just in time for Christmas

Wednesday, 30 October 2019

David Jones will open the doors to its new Auckland store on November 21.

The luxury department store has been long-anticipated as part of the Westfield Newmarket redevelopment.

The Australian brand will anchor one end of the $790 million mall and is opening as part of the build's third and final stage.

David Jones retail director, Aaron Faraguna said the company was looking forward to launching its second New Zealand store.

The David Jones department store in the former Kirkcaldie & Stains building on Lambton Quay, Wellington opened in 2016. It has taken three years for the brand to expand into Auckland.

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The company's first international store opened in Wellington in 2016.

David Jones Newmarket will be 7000 square metres across two floors and will offer the company's full category of fashion, beauty, childrenswear and homewares.

Customers will also be able to access beauty services and personal shoppers.

'David Jones Westfield Newmarket will bring the best of local and international brands to New Zealand's biggest city and we look forward to unveiling our new store very soon,' Faraguna said.

While David Jones was expanding in New Zealand, the company was 'aggressively' closing stores in Australia as profits plunged.

Operating profit at David Jones dropped from $A64 million ($NZ68.2m) to $A37m ($NZ39.9m) for the last financial year, according to figures released in August.

Westfield Newmarket, New Zealand's biggest mall, was scheduled for completion by the end of November.

At the time, parent company Woolworths Holdings chief executive Ian Moir said the goal for David Jones was to reduce floor space 20 per cent by 2026.

A spokesperson declined to say whether the Australian results would impact plans for New Zealand.

Scentre Group New Zealand leasing director John Papagiannis said David Jones represented some of the best local and international fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands.

'We're looking forward to seeing our customers embrace all that it has to offer from 21 November.'

The opening of David Jones Newmarket marks the final stage of the Westfield Newmarket 18 month development.

A dedicated lego store, Countdown supermarket. MECCA, Veronika Maine, Maje and an Event Cinema, among other brands, were all scheduled to open over the course of the next month.

On completion, Westfield Newmarket will have 230 retailers, food outlets and services.

The 4.5 hectare site included two multi-level buildings connected by a sky bridge.

David Jones anchored the site at 277 Broadway, while Farmers, Cocoa Republic and the Chemist Warehouse anchored the building at 309 Broadway.

Westfield Newmarket had been completed on schedule, though there have been some issues with leaking after a recent heavy downpour.