Iconic Australian department store David Jones has plunged into administration, raising concerns about the future of the 188-year-old retailer and its numerous store locations.

Founded in Sydney in 1838, David Jones holds the distinction of being the world's oldest continuously operating department store trading under its original name. However, dozens of its stores across Australia may now face closure, including five at Westfield shopping centers, as the company reviews its retail footprint.

Retail expert Barry Urquhart told the Daily Mail that the current crisis signifies the end of an era for the Australian chain. "The inevitability is we will not be seeing David Jones around in the very near future," Urquhart stated.

Urquhart identified the COVID-19 pandemic as a significant turning point, noting that widespread closures placed immense financial pressure on retailers. "With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2020, a lot of communities, towns, businesses closed down and therefore that had a huge impact on cash flows, debt levels," he explained.

These challenges, however, predate the pandemic, stemming from a fundamental shift in shopping habits that has transformed the Australian retail landscape. Online shopping has steadily increased its share of total retail sales since the early 2000s, a trend that accelerated during the pandemic, with online purchases surging to nearly 20 percent of total sales.

For David Jones, which was historically known for its in-store shopping experience, the migration to online retail presented a substantial blow. This marks a departure from its earlier years, particularly the early to mid-2000s, a period characterized by a glamorous image and notable brand ambassadors such as Lauren Hutton, Miranda Kerr, Megan Gale, and Jessica Gomes. Its fashion shows during that era also featured prominent modeling figures like Linda Evangelista, Jesinta Franklin, and Gigi Hadid.

The retailer's financial difficulties were highlighted by a pre-tax loss of $95.5 million for the year ending June 29, 2026, accompanied by an 8.7 percent decrease in sales.