A traditional Canterbury department store is hoping to fill the 123-year void in Invercargill left by the departure of the city’s treasured flagship store, H&J Smith.
Ballantynes is set to open its fourth retail store in Invercargill’s city centre.
The 169-year-old business currently has stores in Christchurch, Timaru and online. This will be the first time Ballantynes has branched out from the Canterbury region.
The shopping centre redevelopment between Esk and Tay Street is a 190-square-metre space – a much smaller offering than any existing Ballantynes stores. It is currently undergoing concept and design planning.
The store is set to open by March 2024, with recruitment for about five roles beginning immediately.
Ballantynes' chief executive, Maria O’Halloran, said the store would meet market demand and was decades in the making.
“Our customers have been asking for a physical presence in Invercargill for some time, and many have been travelling to our Canterbury stores for decades,” O’Halloran said.
Historic closure
H&J Smith’s closure in May this year marked an end to department store shopping in Invercargill’s 123-year history. The closure will be completed on Nov 18.
This follows Wellington’s traditional department store, Kirkcaldie & Stain’s rebranding to David Jones seven years ago.
After trading as David Jones for six years on Lambton Quay, the department store closed last year after 159 years of operating.
