Smith & Caughey's

Last updated

Smith & Caughey Ltd
Company typePrivate
Industry Retail
Founded1880;145 years ago (1880)
Founder Marianne Smith
DefunctJune 15, 2025 (2025-06-15)
Headquarters Auckland, New Zealand
ProductsBeauty, Clothing, Homewares
Website smithandcaugheys.co.nz

Smith & Caughey Ltd, trading as Smith & Caughey's, was a chain of two mid-sized, upscale [1] department stores in Auckland, New Zealand. Established in 1880 by Marianne Smith, Smith & Caughey was one of the oldest surviving retail businesses until its closure in June 2025. [2] [3]

Contents

The Queen Street and Wellesley Street West facades of the Queen Street store in the Auckland CBD Smith & Caughey's Queen and Wellesley Street facades 2013.jpg
The Queen Street and Wellesley Street West facades of the Queen Street store in the Auckland CBD

Stores

The company had two stores in Auckland; on Queen Street, City Centre, and on Broadway, Newmarket. The flagship Queen Street store occupied a Heritage New Zealand Category 1 Listed building, which was designed by American architect Roy Alstan Lippincott and completed in 1929. [4] The smaller Newmarket store occupied a building which was built by the company in the 1880s; the Newmarket branch initially operated under the name of Hugh Gilmore, before reverting to Smith and Caughey in 1917. [5]

History

One of the oldest surviving retail businesses in New Zealand, it was established in 1880 by Ulster-born Marianne Smith as a drapers and millinery shop, [6] [2] and was the oldest-surviving department store in Auckland until its closure in June 2025. [7] [3]

In May 2024 the company announced that it intended to close both shops and its online store in early 2025 due to the downturn in business which had occurred over several years. [8] A decision was made in August 2024 to continue trading by reducing the Queen St store from two levels to one and closing the Newmarket store. [9]

On 22 May 2025, Smith & Caughey's acting CEO Matt Harray announced that the company would be closing its Queen St store on 31 July, citing declining sales, foot traffic and economic woes. This ended the company's 145 year history. [10] The store closed for the final time on 15 June 2025. [3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Perry, Keith (17 December 2006). "Christmas shopping kicks in a week late". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  2. 1 2 Lewis, Penny (13 July 2005). "Smith & Caughey's enchanting celebration". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Lyth, Jaime (11 June 2025). "Smith & Caughey's to close early with final nostalgic window display". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Smith & Caughey Building". heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Newmarket - Heritage Walk Archived June 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (from the website of the Newmarket Business Association)
  6. ↑ "Story: Smith, Marianne". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "Retail therapy: New life for old store". The New Zealand Herald . 7 September 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  8. ↑ "Smith & Caughey's announces plan to close". Radio New Zealand . 29 May 2024. Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  9. ↑ "Smith and Caughey's confirms it will downsize, some jobs cuts remain". Radio New Zealand . 6 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  10. ↑ Smith, Sam (21 May 2025). "Iconic Auckland department store Smith & Caughey's to close for food". Stuff . Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
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