David Jones Begins Staff Consultation Over Closure of 19 Stores

FTI Consulting, which was appointed receiver to the department store chain David Jones, announced an urgent restructure on November 11, 2026, under which 19 stores have been identified for closure (The Guardian).

The retailer, which employs more than 6,000 staff across 38 stores, collapsed into voluntary administration in the week before the announcement. Voluntary administration is a process in which a struggling company is placed in the hands of independent administrators, who examine its position and look for a way forward.

Under a dual appointment, FTI Consulting, acting as receivers, has day-to-day control of David Jones operations. Receivers are independent professionals who take charge of a company's assets and operations on behalf of its creditors. Its counterpart, McGrathNicol, is acting as administrators and is seeking a buyer for the business or a fresh injection of capital, meaning new money from investors.

FTI has started an immediate consultation process with all staff associated with the 19 stores identified for closure. Consultation is a formal period of talks with affected employees before final decisions are made.

The stores are Carousel WA, Garden City WA, Glen Waverley VIC, Green Hills NSW, Hay Street Mall WA, Highpoint VIC, Hornsby NSW, Macarthur Square NSW, Macquarie Centre NSW, Malvern Central VIC, Marion SA, Newmarket NZ, Parramatta NSW, Robina Town Centre QLD, Sunshine Plaza QLD, Warringah Mall NSW, West Lakes SA, Woden ACT and Wollongong Central NSW. According to the same report, they will continue trading in the immediate term and are anticipated to cease trading by the end of 2026.

Anchorage Capital, the private equity firm that owns David Jones, is expected to make a proposal to the administrators to buy back the business. The chain has a history of 188 years, and the proposal would be the route by which Anchorage seeks to re-purchase it.