Do you remember shops with names like Farmer’s, Boan’s, John Martin’s, Buckley & Nunn, or McWhirter’s? Or maybe you’re more familiar with David Jones and Myer? If any of these names ring a bell, a team of historians wants to speak to you.
Professor Robert Crawford leads a team of historians at RMIT University and Macquarie University that are researching the history of department stores in Australia since the Second World War.
“Department stores have played such an important role in the lives of countless Australia, but their history has hardly been documented,” explains Prof. Crawford.
Supported by the Australian Research Council, the project aims to collect Australian stories and experiences of their department store.
While the project is keen to collect stories from those who worked in these stores, it is equally interested in hearing from shoppers.
“Shoppers are an essential part of this story – their custom makes or breaks any retail outlet and department stores are no different,” notes Professor Crawford.
If you’re interested in participating in the project or learning more about it, further details can be found at https://www.departmentstorehistory.org.au/
.
