Ironically, I wear a suit far more often in retirement than I did when I was still working. That is despite the fact that I loathe wearing a suit and a tie, and that I now do so voluntarily several times each month is somewhat bizarre.
But that is what happens when you go and join one of the private gentlemen’s clubs of Melbourne, as I have.
Putting on a suit means having a good stash of business shirts, and I do, mostly because I used to go to the Boxing Day sales at David Jones and buy several at discounted prices.
And… whilst I hate wearing suits, I rather enjoy shopping for suits and business shirts. It is one of my quirks. [Not quite as much as I enjoy shopping for books and wine bottles though.]
The news this week that David Jones has been placed in voluntary administration is unwelcome to me, although not exactly surprising. The newish store at Highpoint West consolidated to one floor from two during the Covid, and the food court in the basement of the Melbourne store disappeared during the Covid. And there have been mutterings in the finance pages for many months.
David Jones has long been my preferred department store. Whilst I buy my suits at Peter Jackson (I am not quite prosperous enough to go to Hugo Boss or Henry Bucks), I always buy my shirts at DJ’s. Visiting the gourmet food court in the basement of DJ’s in the city has always been a source of wonderment rather than mere pleasure, with its selection of high quality foods, confectionaries, and well curated wines. It was a most unpleasant shock to me when I ventured to Bourke Street five years ago during one of the pauses between lockdowns intent on buying a bottle of Veuve only to find that the food court no longer existed.
Sticking my nose into the store at Highpoint West yesterday was not an edifying experience. There appears to be less stock for sale than normal, but the prices do not reflect any significant discount yet. I suppose that the administrators are hoping that the quality will still command a premium.
Given that I intend to enjoy the Clubland life for the next two or more decades, I will need more shirts. Hence I hope that David Jones survives so that I can continue to buy shirts there. Myers does not really have anywhere near the same vibe, and never has.
