What the collapse of David Jones means for Brisbane’s retail landscape

November 5, 2026 — 4:27pmThe collapse of David Jones is expected to deliver a major blow to Brisbane’s retail centres across the city and further compound the sector’s struggles in the ailing Queen Street Mall.David Jones was handed over to administrators and receivers on Thursday, for the first time in its 188 years of trading, after its board voted to appoint voluntary administrators from McGrathNicol.The failed retailer’s lenders appointed FTI Consulting as receivers to the group, who will run the business until it is restructured and put up for sale.Brisbane’s CBD may be left without a department store if the David Jones store at QueensPlaza closes following the chain’s collapse into voluntary administration.Dominique TassellThe store was busier than usual on Thursday afternoon, both with people hoping to use their gift cards while they still could and with staff pulling down displays.In the shoe section, brands including Steve Madden, Kurt Geiger and Dune had empty displays.A shopper told this masthead they had attempted to buy a pair of shoes but had been told by a staff member they were no longer able to be sold.Empty Steve Madden and Kurt Geiger shoe displays in the David Jones store at QueensPlaza in Brisbane’s CBD.Dominique TassellAnalysis by financial services firm MST Marquee identified all but two stores in Queensland as facing closure.There are four David Jones stores in Brisbane, located in Carindale, Chermside, the CBD and Indooroopilly. There are also two stores on the Gold Coast, at Pacific Fair and Robina, and one store in Sunshine Plaza on the Sunshine Coast.MST Marquee expected all stores bar Chermside and Pacific Fair would close.However, QUT professor and retail expert Gary Mortimer said he believed the CBD store would remain open.An empty Dune shoe display in the David Jones store at QueensPlaza in Brisbane’s CBD.Dominique Tassell“There’s been no official announcement yet on which stores will close in Queensland,” he said. “QueensPlaza is a premium destination. That would be a store I would imagine would remain.”Mortimer said several stores that had undergone substantial redevelopment, such as Sunshine Plaza and Pacific Fair, would be less likely to close.“I think there’s a future for this brand,” he said. “It is the oldest department store in the world, older than Harrods, older than Macy’s. There’s a lot of nostalgia and history connected to that brand, particularly here in Queensland.”The older shopping centres may be less attractive, Mortimer said.Experts argue there may be an excess of retail space in Brisbane’s CBD.Catherine StrohfeldtPreviously, Myer stores have been replaced by retailers such as Kmart, Target and TK Maxx that are large but not big enough to fill the entire space.A closure of the David Jones in QueensPlaza would leave the CBD without a department store, after Myer vacated the old Myer Centre – now known as Uptown – in July 2023.Vicinity Centres owns both QueensPlaza and Uptown, after it completed a takeover of the latter earlier this year.In its ASX announcement, Vicinity said it “maintains contingency plans for each of its David Jones locations and routinely assesses alternative uses for major tenancy space as part of its asset planning”.The company said in February the revitalised Uptown would combine fashion, dining, technology, leisure and entertainment stores, and would mirror the Emporium in Melbourne’s CBD.It estimated the redevelopment would cost $300-$350 million – funded through debt and the sale of other assets – and would be completed by 2029.However, the mall is haemorrhaging retailers – though burger restaurants are going strong – while more retail space is simultaneously being developed.Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s concern for the state of Uptown late last year prompted him to write to the chair of Vicinity, expressing what many of his constituents felt about the giant hole left by Myer’s closure.The old entrance to Myer from Queen Street Mall is still permanently closed, and the windows covered in hoarding.Marissa CalligerosHe asked to meet with Vicinity to discuss its plans, and said the site lacked the vibrancy and amenity expected of such a significant address in one of Australia’s busiest pedestrian malls.IFM Investors, who sold their shares of Uptown to Vicinity, are currently redeveloping the Wintergarden, Intercontinental Hotel and 150 Elizabeth Precinct.The proposal would replace the existing Wintergarden shopping centre with a six-storey retail podium topped by a 45-storey hotel, residential tower and a 16-storey office tower.Mortimer said there was an excess of retail space in the CBD, while locals have moved to centres such as Carindale and Chermside for their shopping.Empty shelves at the Indooroopilly David Jones.“We don’t go into the CBD to shop any more, unless it’s for that luxurious experience which you get at QueensPlaza and Edward Street,” he said.“I think Wintergarden is well positioned to leverage that market, so I do think we will see a redeveloped Wintergarden. Potentially with a Myer store. Brisbane is the only capital city in Australia without a flagship Myer store.“But of course that then creates some challenges for Uptown, which appears to have still not made any investment in that centre.”Rumours have swirled for years about a possible Myer comeback in the CBD, but none have eventuated, so exactly who would occupy all this retail space is up in the air.Mortimer said he would like to see Uptown, which has direct access to a bus station and plenty of parking, reinvigorated as a health services centre to accommodate workers and the growing number of people living centrally.David Jones’ collapse was triggered after the department store operator’s private equity owners failed to reach a deal with major landlord Scentre Group on store closures and its rent bill.Scentre Group, which operates Westfield Carindale and Westfield Chermside, rejected a restructuring proposal put forward by David Jones. A counter-proposal by Scentre was subsequently rejected by David Jones’ board of directors on Wednesday.Scentre Group chief executive Elliott Rusanow said David Jones had not paid rent since October and “therefore are in breach”.Rusanow said its offer would have facilitated the continuation of David Jones trading.“That offer has disappointingly been rejected by them,” he said.In its ASX announcement, Vicinity identified David Jones as having an outstanding rent bill of approximately $2.2 million as of October 31.More:David Jones collapseBrisbaneVicinity CentresScentre GroupMyerGold CoastSunshine CoastAdrian SchrinnerDavid JonesRetailFrom our partners