The Aporia · David Jones to shut dozens of loss-making stores across Australia - as expert warns it has been in trouble for 'some time'

David Jones is planning to close dozens of its loss-making stores across Australia, including five locations within Westfield shopping centers in major cities like Perth, Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne. The company, which currently operates 38 stores across Australia and New Zealand, aims to reduce this number to between 12 and 20 stores. Retail expert Barry Urquhart warns that David Jones has been struggling for a significant period and predicts the retailer's demise in the near future due to declining sales and financial pressures exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Written by AI on 2026-11-03, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

As of November 3, 2026, David Jones, an iconic Australian department store chain, is set to close dozens of its stores across Australia as part of a review aimed at reducing its national footprint. The retailer currently operates 38 stores in Australia and New Zealand but plans to reduce this number to between 12 and 20 locations. Specifically, five loss-making stores located in Westfield shopping centers in Perth, Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne are under consideration for closure.

The company's financial troubles have escalated, with sales declining to $2 billion and losses increasing to more than $95 million in the 2025 fiscal year. The union representing David Jones employees, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA), is concerned about potential job losses, as thousands of workers could be affected if the retailer goes into administration. The SDA has prioritized protecting employee entitlements and ensuring that as many workers as possible remain employed.

Meanwhile, distressed business lender Hilco Capital has provided funding to David Jones to help it through critical sales periods like Black Friday and December, indicating ongoing financial struggles for the retailer.

Written for “David Jones Store Closures Announced” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

This article does not take a side on a contested political question, so it has no leaning score. That is an answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political position.

No political leaning scored for article 124269 · logged 2026-11-03

📰 David Jones Store Closures Announced

Economy/Business · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

This article reads unscored and hedges 20% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

‘Alarming’: David Jones workers brace for job losses as store closures loom Same event

The Sydney Morning Herald

Hedges 1 of 14 claims Outlet record 61/100

David Jones facing 'alarming' financial speculation just before Christmas Different event

ABC News (AU)

Hedges 1 of 17 claims Outlet record 68/100

“The articles discuss different aspects of David Jones' financial situation, with Article A focusing on planned store closures and a filing deadline issue, while Article B emphasizes additional funding from Hilco Capital before Christmas.”

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Kylie Stevens

62 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Dozens of David Jones stores across Australia are set to be closed, including five locations in Westfield shopping centres, as the retailer reviews its national footprint.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · David Jones to shut dozens of loss-making stores across Australia - as expert warns it has been in trouble for 'some time'

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2026-11-02 · Daily Mail

Poll shows Pauline Hanson's One Nation still ahead of Labor despite cartoon controversy - as Aussies struggle with cost of living crisis

2026-11-02 · Daily Mail

Sam was taking 50 nangs a day before his life unravelled. Now he's fighting to stop others making the same mistake

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Joanna Hynds

56 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 The death was not being treated as suspicious and a report would be prepared for the coroner.

2026-11-03 · assertive framing · Tragedy as boy, 11, is found dead after jumping into Victorian river

🔮 Dozens of David Jones stores across Australia are set to be closed, including five locations in Westfield shopping centres, as the retailer reviews its national footprint.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · David Jones to shut dozens of loss-making stores across Australia - as expert warns it has been in trouble for 'some time'

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Twin sister's desperate plea after pub shooting victim faces long road to recovery - as cops hunt gunmen over teen's death

2026-10-31 · Daily Mail

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All 56 articles by Joanna Hynds →

Dozens of David Jones stores across Australia are set to be closed, including five locations in Westfield shopping centres, as the retailer reviews its national footprint. asserted

retailer → set → footprint

It is understood the retail giant, which operates 38 stores across Australia and New Zealand, is seeking to reduce its numbers to between 12 and 20. asserted

which → understand → 12

The auditor, PwC, had yet to sign off on accounts, which were required to be lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) by October 30, according to The Australian Financial Review. uncertain

which → have → Review

The retailer is also reviewing five reportedly loss-making stores at Westfield shopping centres in Carousel, Perth; Parramatta and Hornsby in Sydney; Woden in Canberra; and Southland in Melbourne. uncertain

retailer → review → Melbourne

The Daily Mail has contacted David Jones for comment. asserted

Mail → contact → comment

David Jones last week confirmed that a review of its Australian store portfolio and trading terms with suppliers and brand partners was underway, amid grim warnings from a reatil 'The inevitability is we will not be seeing David Jones around in the very near future,' Barry Urquhart, managing director of Marketing Focus, said. asserted

Urquhart → confirm → Focus

He argued that the decline in the giant's reported sale value reflected the extent of its problems, adding that the retailer had 'been in trouble for some time'. asserted

retailer → argue → time

South Africa's Woolworths Holdings bought David Jones for about $2.1billion in 2014 before completing the reported $100million sale of its operating business to Anchorage Capital Partners in 2023. asserted

Holdings → buy → 2023

Mr Urquhart also identified the Covid pandemic as a major turning point, with widespread closures placing significant pressure on retailers. asserted

closures → identify → 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 said. asserted

he → close → flows

David Jones to shut dozens of loss-making stores across Australia - as expert warns it has been in trouble for 'some time'

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