Scaled-Down Department Stores

As consumers increasingly eschew sprawling stores in favor of smaller boutiques, the Australian department store brand David Jones has debuted a scaled-down version of its store. Designed to cater to changing shopping habits, the new store features just a fraction of the merchandise found in the chain's larger outlets.

The new shop at Sydney’s Barangaroo is the first in a series of miniature David Jones stores set to roll out in wealthy inner-city suburbs across Australia. The new store spans just 1,400 square meters, which is one-tenth the size of an ordinary David Jones store. To complement the smaller space, the company offers a highly curated selection of premium fashion and beauty brands such as Hugo Boss, Valentino and Chanel. The selection is specially designed to fit the needs of those who live and work in the area, making a larger selection of items unnecessary.

The scaled-down David Jones department store demonstrates how retailers are moving away from enormous stores that cater to a wide range of customers, to niche outlets that attract specific shoppers.