H&J Smith to open uniform store at new Invercargill location
The new store will open in early September 2023 at the former Stewart’s Pharmacy building at 162 Dee St.
H&J Smith’s school uniform offering will live on - albeit at a different location under a new partnership.
The H&J Smith Group confirmed last month it’s closing its historic Invercargill department store on November 18.
However, on Wednesday the H&J Smith Group announced it had reached an agreement with the Uniform Group to establish a new specialist school uniform store at a new location in Invercargill.
In 2020 H&J Smith and the Uniform Group partnered following the closure of the Dunedin H&J Smith store.
H&J Smith CEO John Green said in a very short timeframe they established a new store under Uniform Group’s retail brand, The U Shop, and plan to use the same approach in Invercargill.
“Providing continuity of access to quality school uniforms has been a priority of H&J Smith as we work through the proposal to call time on our Department Store business,” Green said.
The new store will open in early September 2023 at the former Stewart’s Pharmacy building at 162 Dee St.
“We chose Dee Street for its convenient location, accessible parking, and excellent foot traffic,” Uniform Group Managing Director Ross Gordon said.
Uniform Group is a privately owned New Zealand company with 32 years’ experience in manufacturing and providing complete and co-ordinated school uniform ranges to over 30 secondary schools throughout New Zealand.