Kirkcaldie & Stains makes way for David Jones

Wellington department store Kirkcaldie & Stains has been trading since 1863. Photo / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand's oldest store trading under its original name shut up shop yesterday afternoon to make way for a David Jones store.

Wellington department store Kirkcaldie & Stains has been trading since 1863, but has recently been running a closing-down sale.

Shareholders voted last year to sell the struggling brand and assign the store lease to the Australian retailer.

Through their website, Kirkcaldie & Stains management have thanked customers for their support, saying "it is the end of an era in so many ways for so many people, our staff both present & past, our suppliers and our customers from Wellington, from around New Zealand and around the world".

The new David Jones store will open in the middle of this year.

Meanwhile, Auckland record store Real Groovy shuts up shop today, leaving its premises of 25 years to a new shop just across the road.

Owner Chris Hart says the new store, which has been open for just over a week, is busier than he thought it would be.

"It's unbelievable, I counted about 140 people in the old store and there's about as many in the new store today.

"Over the past six months we have been reshaping our business and there's been a lot of publicity about the move," he said.

Mr Hart said the new building is much better and staff are positive about the move.

"It's a really great space and is quite breathtaking," he said.