Francesca Rudkin: It's the end of an era for two classic Kiwi brands

This week marks the end of an era for two classic Kiwi brands - department store Smith & Caughey’s announced it will shut their doors for the last time at 4pm today, and hosiery manufacturer Columbine that they’re closing their Gisborne factory in August.  

These are both sad events. Smith & Caughey’s has been part of Queen St for 145 years, and Columbine has kept me in opaque tights for as long as I can remember, and others for longer before! But the news was hardly shocking. 

Manufacturing in New Zealand has become increasingly challenging and costly over decades. Retail has been transformed by online shopping and parallel importing. A disruptive pandemic didn’t help, and continuing economic uncertainty means closures are an unfortunate reality.  

It’s incredible tough for staff, and while no one involved is likely interested in silver-linings right now, we should take a moment to celebrate that Smith & Caughey’s employed people for 145 years, and Columbine for 75 years. Both are significant achievements.  

But it’s going to be an emotional afternoon on Queen St today. A tough day for staff, shoppers, suppliers, and those who loved making the annual trip up the elevator to see Santa Claus and the incredible Christmas displays. I have a collection of photos in which at least one of my kids is crying while posing next to the bearded stranger. I know, my bad. But the bauble for the tree was always appreciated.  

Many of us have memories of this Auckland retail icon. Whether you live in Auckland or have visited over the years, Smith & Caughey’s initially offered service and products you couldn’t get anywhere else. It was a historic company with a female founder ahead of her time, set in a beautiful building. Think of the secrets and stories hidden in those walls.  

Smith & Caughey’s explanation for closing was a “perfect storm of adversity”. In addition to economic uncertainty, they referenced increased parking costs, ongoing roadworks and the slow progress of the City Rail Link (CRL) as having an impact on shoppers. While today should be a day of appreciation and fond memories, retailers can’t afford to be quite so nostalgic. There are lessons to be learnt about moving with the times, adapting to competition, less exclusivity and retaining customers.  

Also announced this week, Columbine, a family business and the last hosiery manufacturer in New Zealand, will shut its doors and 45 jobs will go.  

Once again, reality bites. A written statement from the company said the decision was “driven by a combination of declining sales and increased operational costs, which made it unsustainable to continue manufacturing in Gisborne”. 

Interestingly, recently released data compiled by Infometrics looked at the types of jobs which have disappeared over the last 25 years. If you look at jobs in manufacturing - such as a sewing machinist, footwear production machine operator, hide and skin processing machine operator, knitting machine operator, textile dyeing and finishing machine operator and others, employment has fallen from 14,472 to 5608 since 2000.  

This isn’t just because companies have closed, but because technology has taken over. It’s a reminder that change and challenge are constant in most sectors.  

So surviving as a manufacturer in New Zealand for 75 years is nothing to scoff at. It’s actually very impressive and quite something really.  

 Both companies should be proud of their legacies. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News talks'b.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
This week you marx the end of an era for
two classic Kiwi brands. Department store Smith and Coey's announced
it will shut their doors for the last time at
four pm today, and hosiery manufacturer Columbine said that they
are closing their Gisban factory in August. These are both
sad events. Smith and Coey's has been part of Queen
Street for one hundred and forty five years, Columbine has

(00:35):
been keeping me in opaq tits for as long as
I can remember, and others for a little bit longer.
But the news was hardly shocking. Manufacturing in New Zealand
has become increasingly challenging and costly over decades. Retail has
been transformed by online shopping and parallel importing. A disruptive
pandemic didn't help, and continuing economic uncertainty means closures are

(00:56):
an unfortunate reality. And look, it is incredibly tough for staff,
and while no one involved is likely interested in silver
linings right now, take a moment to celebrate that Smith
and Culley employ people for one hundred and forty five
years in Columbine for seventy five years. Both are significant achievements,
but it is going to be an emotional afternoon on

(01:17):
Queen Street today. A tough day for staff, shoppers, suppliers,
and those who loved making the annual trip up the
elevator to see Santa Claus and the incredible Christmas displays.
I have a collection of photos in which at least
one of my children is crying while pose next to
the bearded stranger. I know my bad, but the ball
ball for the tree was always appreciated. Many of us

(01:41):
have memories of this Auckland retail icon, whether you live
in Auckland or are visited over the years. Smith and
Coey's initially offered service and products you couldn't get anywhere else.
It was a historic company with a female founder ahead
of her time, set in a beautiful building. Think of
all the secrets and stories hidden in those walls. Smith
and Cowey's explanation for closing was a perfect storm of adversity.

(02:03):
In addition to economic uncertainty, they reference increased parking costs
and ongoing roadworks and the slow progress of the CRL
as having an impact on droppers. While today should be
a day of appreciation and fond memories, retailers can't actually
afford to be quite so nostalgic. There are lessons to
be learned here about moving with the times, adapting to

(02:25):
competition and less exclusiveivity, and retaining customers. And remember this.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Looking fine dancing the Columbine, looking feeling smooth, dancing the Columbine.
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
If you remember the eighties, you will remember this jingle.
I'm sure it sounds familiar.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
Columbine a family business and the last hosary manufacturer in
New Zealand. It's going to shut its doors and forty
five jobs are going to go once again. Reality bites.
A written statement from the company said the decision was
driven by a combination of declining sales and increased operational costs,
which made it unsustainable to continue manufacturing and Gisbon interestingly

(03:10):
recently released data compiled ber Informentris was looking at the
types of jobs which have disappeared over the last twenty
five years. And if you look at jobs in manufacturing
such as sewing machinists or footweld production machine operator, hidened
skin processing machine operator, netting machine operators, textile dying and finishing,
machine operators and others. Employment has fallen from fourteen, four

(03:33):
hundred and seventy two to five thousand, six hundred and
eight since two thousand. Now, this isn't just because companies
have closed, but because technology has taken over. It's a
reminder that change and challenge are constant in most sectors.
So surviving as a manufacturer in New Zealand for seventy
five years is nothing to scoff at. It's actually very
impressive and quite something. Really, both companies should be proud

(03:56):
of their legacies.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to news talks they'd be from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeart Utradio