Breaking: Historic Invercargill department store to close

The Southland Tribune; Edition #78

May 17, 2023

Historic H&J Smith department store to close
Significant job losses loom with H&J Smith closure
H&J Smith building 'requires significant remediations'
Today’s Poll… Are you a regular H&J Smith customer?
NZ Music Month…. Song selector - Phil McCarthy
Out & About… Invercargill Harness Racing Club meeting

Historic H&J Smith department store set to close

The H&J Smith Group is proposing to close its historic department store business. It includes the department store it has operated at the same site in Invercargill for 100 years. (READ MORE HERE).

Significant job losses loom with H&J Smith closure

H&J Smith staff were delivered the shock news on Wednesday that their employer plans to close its department store business. It includes the 12,000 sqm H&J Smith flagship store in the heart of Invercargill CBD which currently employs 220 people.(READ MORE HERE).

H&J Smith building 'requires significant remediations'

The Invercargill store is made up of 12 different buildings, built at different times, all of which have different seismic ratings which prevent subdividing of the space for other tenants or uses. (READ MORE HERE).

Southland Boys' High come up short in a first XV thriller

Southland Boys’ High School has come up just short in its thrilling first XV rugby showdown with Otago Boys’ High School in Invercargill on Wednesday. Played in wet conditions both teams threw plenty at each other in a game that was decided by the last act of the day. Otago Boys’ took out the contest 21-19. (READ MORE HERE).

How about joining as a paid subscriber?

We are a reader-supported platform, so please consider joining The Southland Tribune as a paid subscriber. You will get access to all our paid subscriber-only content.

NZ Music Month…. A Southlander’s song choice

It is New Zealand Music Month and we at The Southland Tribune are celebrating it. We’ve teamed with the crew at MASSAV Productions and throughout the month are asking various Southlanders to provide their favourite New Zealand song choice.

Today’s song selector: PHIL MCCARTHY. McCarthy Media and Communications

Artist: Straitjacket Fits - the searing Dunedin-based, Flying Nun band from the 1990s. One of the greatest bands in the world in the 1990s (IMHO), only to come unstuck by a bust-up between its two songwriters. The late Andrew Brough went on to found Bike, while Shayne Carter lit (and is still lighting up) the scene with Dimmer

Phil’s song choice: Down in Splendour

Why? It's a magnificent, dreamy song, which swirls with wonderful guitar riffs and Brough's plaintive voice and lyrics. Such a contrast to the driving, intense Carter-written tracks on the Melt album - in hindsight it's easy to see why the two songwriters were veering off in different directions. Enjoy!

Quick Quiz…. (H&J Smith Special)

1. In what year was the H&J Smith company established in Invercargill?

2. H&J Smith originally opened as a what type of store?

3. What is the name of the iconic cafe on the second floor of the department store?

4. Who is the H&J Smith Group’s managing director?

5. What is on display on the outside of the H&J Smith department store on the corner of Tay St and Kelvin St?

(SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR ANSWERS)

Today’s Poll…

Out & About…

Harness racing - Saturday, May 20 - Ascot Park Raceway

The Invercargill Harness Racing Club host a nine-race programme at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Saturday.

The first race, the Craig Heyrick at Harcourts Fillies & Mares Mobile Pace, commences at 12.05pm with the last, the Crombie Lockwood Mobile Pace, timed for 3.50pm.

The feature event is the Dunstan Horse Feeds Gold Chip Final Trot over 2700 metres for a stake of $12,000. The race is Race 3 on the programme scheduled for 12.59pm.

Admission to the course will be free.

In case you missed it….

Gore U-turn: The Gore District Council saga went from the majority of councillors saying they had lost trust in the mayor to the council releasing a press statement titled “Council unites” all in the space of a few days. (READ MORE HERE).

Sports Awards: One of the strongest finalist lineups in the 70-year history of the ILT Southland Sports Awards has been unveiled. Commonwealth Games golds, world championship medals and historic national titles feature across the eight categories which have been confirmed to date. (READ MORE HERE).

Quiz Answers….

1900 2. A drapery store 3. Copper Kettle 4. Jason Smith 5. A digital clock