Te Anau's only department store, H&J Smith, store closes after 33 years

Friday, 31 July 2020

H&J Smith Te Anau store manager Shayne Mercer says shoppers have been making the most of clearance sales ahead of the store’s closure on Saturday. Mercer shares a moment with team members (from left) Karen Goersch, Sue McMurtrie and Sandi Hunter on Friday.

The closure of the H&J Smith store in Te Anau’s town centre is going to leave a huge hole in the community, Fiordland Community Board chairman Sarah Greaney says.

The department store – which is the only one of its kind in Te Anau – will close its doors for the last time after 33 years of trading, on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a huge space on the main street and the community will be sad to see it go,” Greaney said.

Store manager Shayne Mercer said staff had been inundated with support from patrons since the closure was announced in early June.

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“We’ve been spoiled with bottles of wine and baking,” he said.

Local shoppers had made the most of clearance sales, which meant the team hadn’t had a chance to reflect on the big change yet.

“It’s been so busy, we haven’t had a chance to dwell on it.”

H&J Smith managing director Jason Smith at the Invercargill store in June.

Remaining stock would be sent to Invercargill once the store closed, although he didn’t think there would be much to send back.

Mercer and some team members would stay on for the next week or two to tidy up the space.

A garage sale would be held on August 8, where they would sell the shop’s fittings, he said.

H&J Smith managing director Jason Smith thanked the community for the support they’d shown the business over the years, and for the support they had shown the store’s five full-time employees.

“I know they’ve appreciated the kind words and care they’ve shown the team over the past few weeks.”

Smith said the closure was dramatic and saddening, but necessary for the future of the brand.

“These are incredibly challenging times for retail businesses,” he said, acknowledging the grace and understanding with which staff had dealt with the news.

Mercer has worked in the store for 15 years, while colleague Sandi Hunter had been there for 20.

He would be starting his own business and knew that one staff members would start working for her husband’s business, but the remaining three had not yet found alternative employment.

Greaney wished them well for their job hunt, but noted that the town was still in for tough times ahead as it dealt with the blowout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

She hoped that the prominent retail space H&J Smith occupied would be filled soon.

“The most important thing is that we continue to have our retail spaces full,” she said.

The Balclutha H&J Smith store also had it’s last day on Friday. Ten staff were affected by the closure.