2020 2018 2012 1990s 1980 1963 1936 1856 2022 2019 2016 1995 1984 1969 1944 1919 1838
In 1838, Mr David Jones, a Welsh-born immigrant, opened David Jones and Co. on the corner of George and Barrack Streets in Sydney. A savvy businessman, Mr Jones' mission was to sell “the best and most exclusive goods…that embrace the everyday wants of mankind”. Thanks to the store’s prime position opposite the General Post Office and Mr Jones’ business acumen, the business flourished, with customers travelling great distances to shop for high-quality fabrics, silks, cotton, and more. Home
In 1856, Mr David Jones decided to retire from active management, taking in partners and leaving in it a capital of £30,000s. Unfortunately, his new business partners did not have David Jones’ flair for business, accruing so much financial debt that the business was close to bankruptcy. Upon hearing of his beloved business falling into peril, David Jones returned from retirement. Committed to salvaging the business, he bought out his partners and worked tirelessly to repay every single debt. Within a few years, he had fully discharged all obligations to his creditors, and the store was saved. Mr David Jones continued serving the brand until his ultimate retirement in 1868. Home
In 1919, David Jones took to the sky and entered the history books as the first-ever retailer in Australia to deliver aerial parcels. Packages that once took weeks to arrive were now just hours away. During this time, planes were still very much a rarity. It’s said that customers would hear the distant whirring of the David Jones-branded aeroplane and rush out to catch a glimpse of it flying over. Home
The David Jones George Street store just got a little sweeter. In 1936, the George Street store announced the opening of the David Jones Food Hall. Customers delighted in the array of tasty treats, luxury tastes, and grocery essentials, all in one glamorous location. Home
In 1944, The David Jones Gallery opened its doors. Located next to the Great Restaurant on the seventh floor, the opening of this gallery helped to cement David Jones as a source of artistic expression and appreciation. Over the years, this gallery would be graced by influential artists, including Russel Drysdale, Sidney Nolan, Jeffrey Smart, Rupert Bunny, Arthur Boyd, Sali Herman and John Goodchild. Home
In 1963, the iconic Houndstooth print was announced as the official brand code of David Jones. There is some debate about the true origins of the houndstooth print. Legend has it that the print was sourced from a vintage Miss Dior Eau de Parfum bottle by the founder’s great-grandson, Charles Jones. However, a David Jones photographer named Geoffrey Lee also claimed that he submitted a houndstooth print design in response to an in-house competition for a new brand code where he was awarded 100 pounds for his design. Home
One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. In 1969, David Jones transformed stores into makeshift theatres to watch the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. It’s said that customers and staff stood “cheek-by-jowl”, staring in silence at the newly installed black and white TV screens, to watch history in the making. Home
Other than big hair and colourful fashion, the 80s also saw the creation of an iconic jingle. “There’s no other store like David Jones” was sung, marking the beginning of the now iconic tune. Home
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