David Jones on the brink of administration within hours – with dozens of stores to be closed across Australia

David Jones is expected to enter voluntary administration as soon as Thursday, after talks with its landlords reportedly collapsed. The move would put the future of the 188-year-old Australian department store in doubt, with its owner, Anchorage Capital, facing decisions about whether the business can continue trading.

Scentre Group chief Elliott Rusanow said landlords had offered a lifeline that would have helped keep stores open and staff employed, but Anchorage rejected it. David Jones recorded a pre-tax loss of A$95.5 million for the year to 29 June 2026 as sales fell 8.7 per cent; it operates 38 stores in Australia and New Zealand, and is reportedly considering reducing that number to 12 to 20.