H & J Smith supplier Uniform Group to open new Invercargill store

Uniform Group is opening a new shop in Invercargill. Photo / Supplied

From the ashes of a southern retailer’s imminent closure and 220 job losses, there is some good news: one of its suppliers is opening a new standalone retail store and wants to take on staff.

Ross Gordon, who owns Uniform Group which sells clothing and footwear to H & J Smith and many other outlets, has announced his business will open a new Invercargill store.

That will sell stock previously sold at H & J Smith’s flagship Invercargill store and in Gore.

John Green, H & J Smith chief executive, said the business would sell all its college and school wear stock to Uniform Group - the separately owned entity he bought stock from for some years.

A new uniform store will open in Invercargill’s centre, Green said, and that was great news for customers because they would still be able to buy that stock.

Uniform Group makes and sells corporate wear including for Government departments and sporting organisations and a joint statement was issued by the two businesses explaining what would happen next.

“H & J Smith and Uniform Group are pleased to announce plans to establish a new specialist school uniform store at a new location in Invercargill following a formal agreement for the transfer of the H & J Smith school uniform business to Uniform Group,” that joint statement said

“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. In 2020, we successfully partnered with Uniform Group following the closure of our Dunedin store,” H & J Smith said.

“In a very short timeframe, we established a new store under Uniform Group’s retail brand, The U Shop, and plan to use this approach again here,” Green said.

The apparel is made overseas but the new Invercargill store will employ around five people and open in September in the ex-Stewarts Pharmacy, 162 Dee St.

Ross Gordon, Uniform Group managing director said: “We chose Dee St for its convenient location, accessible parking, and excellent foot traffic. We will be stocking an extensive range of school uniforms, hosiery, and school footwear, including the very popular McKinlay’s school shoes.”

Gordon’s business has 32 years of experience in manufacturing and selling coordinated school uniforms to more than 30 secondary schools in New Zealand.

These include many of the country’s largest schools, Gordon said. It entered retailing school uniforms 10 years ago under its retail brand The U Shop and now its 16 stores in this country, some within schools, others outside them in communities.

Gordon said some jobs would be available and he wants to talk to people.

“We will be talking with H & J Smith employees regarding potential employment in the new store and will start the recruitment process towards the end of July,” he said today.

H & J Smith confirmed its closure and the estimated 220 job losses last month.

The retailer said in late June: “The H & J Smith Group announces they are calling time on its long-running department store business and now confirms the last day of trading for their Invercargill and Remarkables Park stores will be November 18.”

Smith said the business appreciated everyone who engaged during the consultation process.

Mitre 10 Mega stores in Invercargill and Queenstown are unaffected, as is Laser Electrical.

Smith also said then that the business had identified some areas where there could be an opportunity to continue independently from his family’s brand.

School uniforms and specialist lingerie fitting services were two areas of the business H & J Smith had focused on to ensure continuity of service for customers.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.