David Jones Closes 19 Stores Nationwide

The department store chain will shut 19 locations after the Christmas trading period, affecting thousands of staff.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Retail

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David Jones told staff and suppliers it will close 19 stores nationally, including Hay Street Mall in Perth, Westfield Booragoon (Garden City) and Carousel. The Claremont and Karrinyup stores will remain open, and the retailer employs approximately 6000 people.

Why it matters

The closures follow a restructuring plan put forward by Anchorage before David Jones collapsed, and the receivers say the steps are unavoidable if the business is to remain viable. Thousands of staff are expected to be axed as part of the move.

David Jones will close 19 stores, against a current workforce of approximately 6000 employees. The number of positions that will be cut, and the timing of each closure beyond the expectation of cessation by year's end, remains unconfirmed.

The players

David Jones

A long-established Australian department store chain whose collapse has triggered the closure of 19 stores and the restructuring of its remaining network.

FTI Consulting

A global advisory firm appointed as receiver for David Jones, overseeing the consultation process and the restructuring of the business.

Starhill Global REIT

A Singapore-based real estate investment trust that owns the David Jones Hay Street building and the adjoining mall in Perth.

Scentre Group

Australia's largest owner of shopping centres, which co-owns the Carousel and Garden City centres through joint ventures affected by the closures.

The details

Receivers FTI Consulting have begun an immediate consultation process with all staff linked to the 19 stores identified for closure. Gift cards can still be redeemed, but new gift cards are no longer available for purchase.

After the peak Christmas trading period, the affected stores are scheduled to close.
Wednesday: David Jones informed staff and suppliers of the closure of 19 stores.
Last Thursday: Starhill Global REIT issued a statement to investors on the collapse.
By the end of the year: the closing stores are anticipated to cease trading.

Industry Dynamics

The closures extend the restructuring plan Anchorage proposed before David Jones collapsed, moving from proposal to concrete store-by-store cuts across the chain. Retail landholders such as Scentre Group and Starhill Global REIT now face vacant or divided tenancies in major centres.

Shoppers at the 19 closing stores will need to find alternatives, and customers holding David Jones gift cards can still redeem them but cannot buy new ones. Thousands of staff across the network face job losses as the closures proceed.

The takeaway

The closures show how a receivership can quickly turn a restructuring plan into tangible job losses and empty retail spaces. Customers should check the status of gift cards and store locations before the closures take effect.

What happens next

The 19 stores are anticipated to cease trading by the end of the year, and the Hay Street Mall tenancy is likely to be divided into multiple smaller stores.