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Kirkcaldie & Stains
Company typePublic listed company
NZX: KRK
IndustryRetail
Founded1863; 161 years ago (1863)
FounderRobert Stains Edit this on Wikidata
Defunct2016; 8 years ago (2016)
HeadquartersWellington
Key people
Falcon Clouston (Chairman)
Productsapparel, cosmetics, homewares
Number of employees
300 plus
Websitewww.kirkcaldies.co.nz

Kirkcaldie & Stains (known informally as Kirkcaldie's or Kirks) was a department store in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1863 by John Kirkcaldie and Robert Stains with a capital of £700. The first store was opened on Lambton Quay. In 1868 Kirkcaldie & Stains moved to their final location at the corner of Lambton Quay and Brandon Street, expanding several times. There was a branch on Cuba Street, Wellington from 1870 –1876 and one in Napier from 1897 until 1917. French luxury skincare brand Sisley was exclusive to the store in New Zealand.[1]

Kirkcaldie & Stains announced on 4 June 2015 that the store would close in January 2016, when the site, after a multi-million dollar refit, would become a David Jones store.[2] Shareholders approved the plan on 31 July 2015 in a special meeting.[3] The store closed on 16 January 2016.[4] The main store on Lambton Quay reopened as 'David Jones Wellington', a branch of Australian department store chain David Jones Limited, on 28 July 2016.[5] David Jones closed on 12 June 2022.[6]

Establishment

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The business was founded in 1863 by Scotsman John Kirkcaldie, who had been apprenticed as a draper, and Englishman Robert Stains, who had a retail trade background. The men met in Sydney, Australia, and decided to pool their capital to establish a business in New Zealand.[7] They settled on Wellington as the place, and their first store, 16 feet (4.8 metres) square[8] was the hulk of the wrecked ship Inconstant (ship) known as Plimmer's Ark, at Lambton Quay.[7] Kirkcaldie & Stains opened for business in 'Waterloo House' on 9 December 1863, selling women's and men's clothing and accessories, mourning wear, drapery, manchester and haberdashery.[9][10] In 1865 extensive additions were made to the store.[11]

photo of wooden store.
1868 wooden shop on Lambton Quay.

In 1868 the business moved to new premises on land reclaimed from the harbour, at the corner of Lambton Quay and Brandon Streets. This site is part of the block of land occupied by the business until 2016. The two-storey wooden building in Italianate style was designed by C. J. Toxward[12] and opened on 24 October 1868.[13] John's brother Robert was employed in 1868 as their London buyer.[7]

Between 1870 and 1876, Kirkcaldie & Stains also operated a branch store in Cuba Street, Wellington.[14][15] In the nineteenth century official currency was in short supply, so about 50 firms around New Zealand, including Kirkcaldie & Stains, issued their own tokens for use as payment.[16][17] Kirkcaldie & Stains issued copper tokens in halfpenny and penny denominations in the 1870s.[18]

The partnership was dissolved in 1886 when Robert Stains returned to England.[19] Stains died in London in 1912.[20] The business remained in the Kirkcaldie family until the 1930s.

Expansion, 1897–1930s

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In January 1897, Kirkcaldie & Stains opened their only store outside of Wellington, taking over the drapery business of Neal & Close in Napier.[21] They sold the business in 1917, and thereafter remained a single-location business until 2014.[22]

In July 1897, Kirkcaldie & Stains announced that they would be extending their Wellington business by constructing a new three-storey brick building on Lambton Quay, adjoining their 1868 wooden premises. The new building was designed by Thomas Turnbull and featured electric lighting, an Otis hydraulic lift, 3000 feet of Lamson tubes (pneumatic cash-carrying pipes) and the largest tea room in the city.[23] Departments in the store at this period included drapery, mercery, clothing, mantles, millinery, accessories, ladies' underclothing, furnishings and floor coverings. The top floor was a workshop or factory for dressmaking and tailoring, and there was a large basement for inwards goods.[23][24] Part of Kirkcaldie & Stains' success at this time came from postal orders: the company sent out illustrated seasonal catalogues and received 15,000 to 20,000 orders each year from customers outside of Wellington.[24][25]

A sensational incident occurred in the new tea room in 1898. As the manager, Ellen Dick, came out of the kitchen, one of the customers drew a large six-chamber revolver from under her cloak and fired at her. Mrs Dick was struck just under the rib cage on her left side, and ran into the kitchen as the assailant fired two more shots. The assailant, Annie McWilliam, then ran down the stairs but was stopped by the store manager, Mr Teasdale, and Sidney Kirkcaldie. Ellen Dick was not greatly injured by the shooting because the bullet had bounced off her corset: the doctor who attended her said that a man shot in the same spot would have been killed.[26] Annie McWilliam was later sentenced to seven years in prison.[27]

Kirkcaldie & Stains was registered as a private company under the Companies Act 1882, on 26 July 1899.

Kirkcaldie & Stains expanded further during 1901–1902, building a new brick four-storey building in Brandon Street behind their 1868 wooden building, on the site of Wellington's first fire station. The fire station bell was rung in store for emergencies and for staff closing time until 1952, and was then donated in 1954 to the Wellington Fire Board.[28] The building was designed in an Italianate style by William Turnbull, the façade forming the basis of the style for which Kirkcaldie's is now famous.[29]

The company bought the Occidental Hotel property on the corner of Lambton Quay and Johnston Street, and began a major extension project. The first stage was a four-storey warehouse built in 1907 in Johnston Street on the site of the house of Dr Claud Dawson Henry. The building was again designed by William Turnbull. It was constructed of reinforced concrete and was possibly the first building in New Zealand to be built of that material. Sidney Kirkcaldie stated that concrete would be more earthquake- and fire-resistant than brick.[30][31] Fire was an ever-present danger in early Wellington, which had many wooden buildings built close together. In 1887, a major fire had destroyed a city block between Panama Street, Lambton Quay, Featherston Street and Brandon Street, and sparks blew across to Kirkcaldie & Stains' 1868 wooden building. The building was saved by men placing wet blankets on its roof.[32] In December 1904, a fire in Kirkcaldie's mattress warehouse destroyed £500 of stock,[33] and a month later in January 1905 another large fire destroyed the D.I.C. department store block between Panama Street, Lambton Quay and Brandon Street. Waves of flames carried across Brandon Street, setting fire to the original Kirkcaldie & Stains wooden building, but were put out before taking hold.[34]

Photo of large department store.
Kirkcaldie & Stains in 1923, showing the central building, built in 1897, before it was remodeled to match the façade on each side.

In 1908–1909, the next phase of the expansion took place when Kirkcaldie & Stains built a three-storey building on the Occidental Hotel site at the corner of Lambton Quay and Johnston Street. The building was constructed of reinforced concrete and featured a flat roof for parking delivery vehicles.[35][31] In 1909–1910, the 1868 wooden building at the corner of Lambton Quay and Brandon Street was replaced with a three-storey building of reinforced concrete.[36] The store now occupied a street frontage from Johnston street, around Lambton Quay to Brandon street. Four of the five buildings that made up the Kirkcaldie & Stains operation were now in the Italianate style designed by William Turnbull.

During 1927–1928, Kirkcaldie & Stains remodeled the 1897 building on Lambton Quay in the Italianate style, unifying the façade that stretched from Johnston Street to Brandon Street.

In 1931, the Kirkcaldie family sold the business to British Overseas Stores, an organisation with retail stores around the world.[37]

1950–2000

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In 1951, Kirkcaldie & Stains undertook drastic changes to the interior of the store, modernising departments, upgrading stairwells and installing two new lifts. Further improvements were made in 1958–1959, when changes were made to the first floor to provide extra space for the fashion department, as off-the-peg garments were becoming increasingly popular.

The company celebrated 100 years in business in 1963 with window displays telling "Our story in Fashion", special lighting and a gallery of fairy tale and nursery characters along the verandah at the front of the shop. Similar celebrations were held in 1973 and 1983. In 1993, there was a large birthday cake containing $64,000 in prizes. There was a parade with a banner stating "Kirkcaldie & Stains – a tradition in Wellington since 1863".[38]

In 1985, British Overseas Stores sold the property to Renouf Corporation (later Hellaby Holdings).[39] The historic façade was retained but the building behind it was demolished and replaced with a new three-storey department store topped by a car park hidden behind the old façade.[40] During the reconstruction period, half of the building closed for demolition while trading continued in the other half and some nearby rental space. Then that half of the building was demolished while trading moved to the newly built section.[41] The brass Lamson tubes that had carried cash through the building for almost 80 years were repurposed as hand rails on the staircases in the new store. The rest of the site was redeveloped, involving construction of two 13-storey office towers on top of the three-storey podium extending to the rear of the shop premises.[42] The project was completed in 1989.[40] This project was one of the first in Wellington where a new building was constructed while retaining a historic façade, and it was not considered particularly successful from an architectural point of view.[40][42] In 1993, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now Heritage New Zealand) downgraded the building's classification due to the changed presentation of the façade.[40] As of 2023, it has Category 2 Historic Place classification.[43]

Hellaby Holdings sold their shares in Kirkcaldie & Stains between 1995 and 1998, mostly to customers and staff of the store.[40]

21st century

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In 2000, Kirkcaldie & Stains released a book on the history of the company, Kirkcaldie & Stains, A Wellington Story by Julia Millen (ISBN 1 877242 071). The company set up a website in 2001, but did not offer online shopping until 2013.[44]

Kirkcaldie & Stains had offered company shares to the public since 1995 on the secondary or unlisted market, but in May 2001 it listed on the NZX stock exchange. At that time there were five million shares on issue, mostly to staff and customers of the store.[45] In December 2001, the company bought the Harbour City Centre retail centre, which was formerly the D.I.C. department store.[46] Kirkcaldie & Stains spent $6 million earthquake strengthening the Harbour City Centre, but sold it in September 2014, saying that growth in online shopping had made the extra retail space unnecessary.[47][48]

The new managing director John Milford reorganized the retail side of the company in 2006, but between 2008 and 2015 the retail side of the business made a loss.[49]

In 2012 and 2013, the store won 'Department Store of the Year' in the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards,[50][51] and in 2013, Kirkcaldie & Stains celebrated 150 years in retail with a street parade and a display of the history of the store.[52] In August 2013, Kirkcaldie & Stains ended the 25-year-long practice of having a pianist play a grand piano in the store, saying the space was needed for fashion brands and piano music no longer fit the store's ambience.[53] The grand piano was donated to the New Zealand School of Dance.[54]

The company opened an interiors branch on Thorndon Quay in June 2014, but in June 2015 the company announced it would cease business in January 2016, and the interiors store closed in October 2015.[55][56][57]

Kirkcaldie & Stains closed its doors for the last time on 16 January 2016. The main store, Lambton Quay lease and the Kirkcaldie & Stains name were purchased by Australian department store chain David Jones Limited and after a complete renovation, including the addition of air conditioning and escalators, the building reopened as 'David Jones Wellington' on 28 July 2016. David Jones closed on 12 June 2022.

Kirk's Sales

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In July 1887, Kirkcaldie & Stains held its first semi-annual clearance sale.[58] The summer and winter sales were to become a popular tradition, with shoppers even making special trips from towns around the North Island.[59] The sales continued to be held until the business closed in 2016.[60]

Christmas at Kirkcaldie's

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Kirkcaldie & Stains was well-known for its Christmas celebrations. From the early 20th century, there was an in-store Father Christmas for children to visit.[61][62] From 1988, a special department opened within the store for a period before Christmas each year. The 'Christmas Shop' sold artificial Christmas trees, decorations, crackers and other paraphernalia.[63] Kirkcaldie's also decorated its windows and front of the store with elaborate Christmas displays. After the business closed, memorabilia including animatronic Christmas elves from the window displays were donated to Wellington Museum.[64]

Managing directors / chief executives

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From To Name Notes
1902 1908 John Kirkcaldie Retired 1918, died 1925, aged 87.[65]
1908 1919 Sidney Kirkcaldie Son of John Kirkcaldie.[65] Died 1943.[66]
1919 1931 Charles Francis Smith
1931 1933 James Crosser
1933 1951 Charles Morris
1951 1962 Alfred Beuth Received the Knighthood of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy in 1957, for fostering trade relations with Italy.[67]
1962 1985 John Barr
1985 1994 Peter Hansen Oversaw demolition and reconstruction of the building.[41]
1994 2001 Philip Shewell [68][69]
2001 2006 Richard Holden [70]
2006 2014 John Milford [71][72]
2015 2016 Philip Shewell acting Managing Director[73]
[edit]
  • 1915 letterhead of Kirkcaldie & Stains
    1915 letterhead of Kirkcaldie & Stains
  • Detail of façade, with tower visible through the windows
    Detail of façade, with tower visible through the windows
  • Main entrance, Lambton Quay
    Main entrance, Lambton Quay
  • Kirkcaldie & Stains Interiors, Thorndon Quay
    Kirkcaldie & Stains Interiors, Thorndon Quay
  • Interiors entrance
    Interiors entrance

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Brands | Kirkcaldie and Stains". Kirkcaldies.co.nz. 20 July 2015. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Kirkcaldie & Stains department store to become David Jones". Stuff.co.nz. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Kirkcaldie & Stains shareholders vote to sell historic Wellington store". 31 July 2015.
  4. ^ "End of an era for Wellington as Kirkcaldie & Stains closes its doors for good". 15 January 2016.
  5. ^ "David Jones Wellington to open on July 28, offering VIP and personal shopping services". 31 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Wellington's David Jones department store closes its doors for last time today". Radio New Zealand. 12 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Regnault, Claire (2021). Dressed : fashionable dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-9941460-6-9. OCLC 1245592939.
  8. ^ Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 103, 2 May 1906, Page 7
  9. ^ "Important Announcement [advertisement]". Wellington Independent. 5 December 1863. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  10. ^ "Waterloo House [advertisement]". Wellington Independent. 18 June 1864. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  11. ^ "Waterloo House: Extensive alterations [advertisement]". Evening Post. 30 May 1865. p. 4 – via Papers Past.
  12. ^ "New buildings". Wellington Independent. 25 July 1868. p. 6 – via Papers Past.
  13. ^ "Kirkcaldie and Stains' new premises". Wellington Independent. 24 October 1868. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  14. ^ "Kirkcaldie & Stains, Lambton Quay and Cuba Street [advertisement]". Wellington Independent. 11 June 1870. p. 7 – via Papers Past.
  15. ^ "Cuba Street Drapery and Clothing Establishment [advertisement]". Evening Post. 31 May 1876. p. 1 – via Papers Past.
  16. ^ "Copper tokens". New Zealand Mail. 15 November 1905. p. 70 – via Papers Past.
  17. ^ Pollock, Kerryn (20 June 2012). "Kirkcaldie and Stains token". Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  18. ^ "[untitled]". Otago Daily Times. 11 December 1874. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  19. ^ "Dissolution of partnership". Evening Post. 18 August 1886. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
  20. ^ "Death of Mr Robert Stains". Evening Post. 6 May 1912. p. 8 – via Papers Past.
  21. ^ "[untitled]". Daily Telegraph. 13 January 1897. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  22. ^ "General news". Press. 22 October 1917 – via Papers Past.
  23. ^ a b "KIrkcaldie & Stains's new premises". Evening Post. 3 July 1897 – via Papers Past.
  24. ^ a b "Messrs.Kirkcaldie & Co.'s new premises". Evening Post. 6 July 1898 – via Papers Past.
  25. ^ "The Modern Way: The mail order business: how it works in Wellington". New Zealand Times. 14 May 1910. p. 10 – via Papers Past.
  26. ^ "Startling occurrence in a tea room". Evening Post. 28 October 1898 – via Papers Past.
  27. ^ "Supreme Court". Manawatu Herald. 19 November 1898 – via Papers Past.
  28. ^ "Correspondence, licence, and deed". natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  29. ^ "City improvements: additions to Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains's premises". Evening Post. 15 September 1902 – via Papers Past.
  30. ^ "A new city warehouse". Evening Post. 28 November 1906 – via Papers Past.
  31. ^ a b "Business enterprise: Kirkcaldie and Stains's extensions". Evening Post. 13 October 1906 – via Papers Past.
  32. ^ "Calamitous fire". Evening Post. 5 March 1887. p. 1, Supplement – via Papers Past.
  33. ^ "A big blaze in the city". Evening Post. 29 December 1904 – via Papers Past.
  34. ^ "Great fire in town". New Zealand Mail. 1 February 1905 – via Papers Past.
  35. ^ "Kirkcaldie & Stains' flat roof motor garage". Progress. IV (8): 280–281. 1 June 1909 – via Papers Past.
  36. ^ "Kirkcaldie & Stains, Ltd: Half a century's rapid progress". New Zealand Times. 22 January 1910 – via Papers Past.
  37. ^ "British Overseas Stores". New Zealand Herald. 21 September 1931 – via Papers Past.
  38. ^ Evening Post 16 August 1993
  39. ^ "Renouf offer for Kirkcaldie's". Press. 3 August 1985 – via Papers Past.
  40. ^ a b c d e "Kirkcaldie and Stains Department Store". wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  41. ^ a b Dekker, Diana (28 July 2005). "The director who modernised a Wellington icon". Dominion Post. ProQuest 338203349.
  42. ^ a b Kernohan, David (1989). Wellington's new buildings. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University Press. p. 69. ISBN 0864730853.
  43. ^ "Kirkcaldie and Stains Department Store Facade". Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  44. ^ "Kirks loss prompts retail overhaul". Dominion Post. 13 February 2013. ProQuest 1286693669.
  45. ^ Love, Phil (11 May 2001). "Kirks' hits main board on Monday". Evening Post. ProQuest 314808473.
  46. ^ Love, Phil (13 December 2001). "Kirks buys neighbour to expand". Evening Post. ProQuest 314777439.
  47. ^ Schouten, Hank (18 March 2014). "Kirks to sell off 'trophy' assets". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1507835558.
  48. ^ McNicol, Hamish (24 September 2014). "Online growth drives harbour city sale". The Press. ProQuest 1564214384.
  49. ^ Kirkcaldie & Stains Annual Reports 2008 - 2015
  50. ^ "Store a winner". Dominion Post. 28 April 2012. ProQuest 1009890828.
  51. ^ "Department store wins". Dominion Post. 5 March 2013. ProQuest 1314376146.
  52. ^ Speer, Sophie (1 June 2013). "Cavalcade to mark Kirks' 150th". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1357100718.
  53. ^ Fensome, Alex (17 August 2013). "The day the music died at Kirks". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1424825136.
  54. ^ Dominion Post 19 August 2013
  55. ^ Burgess, Dave (14 June 2014). "Milestone in store for company". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1535270726.
  56. ^ Harris, James; Weir, Catherine (5 June 2015). "Goodbye Kirks, hello David Jones". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1685892133.
  57. ^ Dominion Post 17 October 2015
  58. ^ "First semi-annual clearance sale [advertisement]". Evening Post. 8 July 1887 – via Papers Past.
  59. ^ Rendle, Steve (6 August 2002). "Call of the wild shoppers: Sale at Kirks". Dominion Post. ProQuest 337865449.
  60. ^ Devlin, Collette (10 August 2015). "Crowds spend up large at Kirkcaldie & Stains' last winter sale". Stuff. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  61. ^ "[advertisement]". Evening Post. 22 December 1908. p. 6 – via Papers Past. The establishment of Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd., will be open all day tomorrow, and Father Christmas will visit Toyland at 3 p.m. All children are invited.
  62. ^ "[advertisement]". Evening Post. 1 December 1925. p. 4 – via Papers Past. Toyland, the Children's Wonderland, opens at Kirkcaldie's to-morrow. Father Christmas will receive his visitors in Neptune's Cavern. He has a fine selection of gifts for all who visit him.
  63. ^ Edwards, Jessy (23 September 2015). "Kirkcaldie & Stains opens last Christmas shop after 27 years". Stuff. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  64. ^ Maxwell, Joel (20 June 2016). "Kirkcaldie & Stains takes permanent place behind glass in Wellington Museum". Stuff. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  65. ^ a b "Mr John Kirkcaldie". Evening Post. 3 October 1925. p. 8 – via Papers Past.
  66. ^ "Obituary". Evening Post. 27 April 1943. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  67. ^ "Contributions to trade". Press. 22 February 1957 – via Papers Past.
  68. ^ Philip Shewell resigns Evening Post 16 January 2001
  69. ^ Richard Holden appointed Evening Post 22 August 2001
  70. ^ Kirks Boss was 'forced out with polo injury' Dominion Post 10 August 2005
  71. ^ Dominion Post 6 April 2006
  72. ^ Dominion Post 18 December 2014
  73. ^ Dominion Post 1 April 2015
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