00:02News of David Jones' demise sparked a shopping frenzy.
00:06There's a lot of people in there.
00:07Everyone's gone on a crazy rampage.
00:10But bumper sales in the last week weren't enough to keep bad news at bay.
00:15A week after taking over the retail giant's operations,
00:18the receivers confirming that they're closing half its stores.
00:22Five in Sydney's suburbs, three in Victoria.
00:26Perth's flagship store also going,
00:29along with sites in South Australia, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
00:34Very safe for everybody.
00:35Yes, it's a disgrace that's close and done.
00:38Thinking about all the people that will lose jobs and then the flow-on effect.
00:4219 stores in total are being shuttered in a bid to keep the company viable.
00:48David Jones was defaulting on rent.
00:50It was placed into administration last week after talks with landlords broke down.
00:55Staff were told by the top boss today that the business could not continue operating as it was.
01:02This change, she said, is about creating a network that is financially sustainable.
01:07In New South Wales and ACT, there's up to 800 direct jobs at risk through this process
01:11and many more concession jobs as well.
01:13We'll be working very hard to maximise the retention of as many jobs as possible.
01:17The staff who were impacted by these closures are still going to have to put on some Christmas cheer for
01:23their customers
01:24with these 19 stores impacted to trade through the busy festive season and then close at the end of the
01:31year.
01:31We wouldn't be surprised to see more closures.
01:33The CBD stores, these do much higher turnover and may survive.
01:38Suppliers already counting their losses.
01:41One of the initial benefits will be a lot of great Australian and international brands
01:45will be looking to mire to ensure that they've got a department store presence.
01:51A slimmed down DJ's might be more attractive to a new owner.
01:55A Christmas wish not only for its loyal customers,
01:59but the staff and administrators of the struggling icon.
02:02A Christmas wish it fell in funciona and now it's gone.
02:04A Christmas wish it fell in a Christmas wish not only for a doubleichthy unboxing.
02:04Oh yeah I did, but the Halloween wish are thinking about 7 years ago.
02:04It was a traditionally fun because they were making theãy one of the customers
02:04viewing a Christmas wish not only for yourself,
