Gorgeous iconic department stores throughout history
Do you remember shops with names like Farmer’s, Boan’s, John Martin’s, Buckley & Nunn, or McWhirter’s? Or maybe you're more familiar with David Jones and Myer? If any of these names ring a bell, a team of historians wants to speak to you.
Professor Robert Crawford leads a team of historians at RMIT University and Macquarie University that are researching the history of department stores in Australia since the Second World War.
“Department stores have played such an important role in the lives of countless Australia, but their history has hardly been documented,” explains Professor Crawford.
Supported by the Australian Research Council, the project aims to collect Australian stories and experiences of their department store.
While the project is keen to collect stories from those who worked in these stores, it is equally interested in hearing from shoppers.
“Shoppers are an essential part of this story – their custom makes or breaks any retail outlet and department stores are no different,” notes Professor Crawford.
“By collecting the stories of shoppers and staff, this project offers a unique perspective of the department store,” he adds.
The research team has already interviewed a range of people across the country.
“This week I spoke to a lady about shopping with her mother at Grace Brothers in Sydney in 1947 and the next day I spoke to a man about taking his daughter to David Jones in suburban Brisbane in 1995,” recounts Crawford.
Participants of the project have recalled a range of familiar and forgotten experiences.
“Many have recounted their family’s unique rituals of going into to town and having lunch at the cafeteria, while others remember specific bits like the lift operators or the pneumatic tubes to transfer cash from the tills.”
While the project has undertaken many interviews, the research team is eager to speak to more people about their unique memories and experiences, so that they can get a fuller picture of the past.
If you’re interested in participating in the project or learning more about it, further details can be found at https://www.departmentstorehistory.org.au/
Image credit: WikiMedia