Dimmeys
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Predecessor | Dimelow & Gaylard's |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Founder | Joseph Britten |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Victoria , Australia |
Area served | Eastern and southern Australia |
Key people | Doug Zapelli (former owner) |
| Products | Discount department store goods |
| Website | www |
Dimmeys is a chain of Australian discount department store outlets. Originating as the drapery business "Dimelow & Gaylard's" during the Victorian gold rush in rural Maryborough, it adopted the name 'Dimmeys' in the early 20th century.
During the latter part of the 20th century, Dimmeys transitioned from operating large department stores to focusing on smaller discount shops, growing to more than 40 locations throughout eastern and southern Australia by 2014.
History
In 1898, Dimelow & Gaylard took over a drapery established in 1853 by Joseph Britten on Swan Street, Richmond. The building, constructed in 1878, was purchased by John Jeffery in 1904.
Following a fire in 1906, the Swan Street store was reconstructed in 1907 featuring Romanesque architectural design by HW & FB Tompkins. A 1910 addition included a notable clock tower topped with an internally lit globe, which became a prominent Richmond landmark and a key element of the company’s branding. Jeffery renamed the enterprise Dimmeys Model Stores to highlight its association with fashionable merchandise.
During World War II blackout regulations, the illuminated globe was replaced with copper panels. The ground floor offered a wide range of products, while workshops and mail order services operated on the upper levels. The Great Depression led to a strategy emphasizing quality items at affordable prices; after the war, Dimmeys shifted its focus from manufacturing to discount retailing.
In 1989, Dimmeys acquired rival Forges and operated under the name "Dimmeys & Forges." The Footscray location in Melbourne was sold to developers in 2009, after which the company reverted to the name Dimmeys.
Decline of Dimmeys
The company went into receivership in 1996 with debts amounting to A$27 million and was subsequently purchased by a group led by Doug Zapelli.
In 1999, Dimmeys faced a A$60,000 penalty for selling defective children's bicycles. Two years later, it was fined A$160,000 for marketing children’s nightwear that did not comply with fire safety regulations.
The firm’s history was chronicled in the 2007 publication Dimmeys of Richmond: The Rise and Fall of a Family Business by historian Dr Samuel Furphy.
In 2011, following legal action from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Dimmeys was penalized A$400,000 due to children's nightwear lacking appropriate fire hazard warnings.
By 2013, Dimmeys incurred a A$3 million fine for violations of product safety laws concerning children’s toys and clothing. This case implicated both Dimmeys and its supplier Starite Distributors, also owned by Zapelli. Alongside the fine, Dimmeys received a six-year prohibition on selling goods requiring safety warnings; Zapelli was banned from corporate management roles for six years and fined $120,000. Soon after, Dimmeys entered voluntary administration with SV Partners appointed as administrators aiming to maintain operations while addressing penalties and considering asset disposals.
In March 2014, Cool Breeze Clothing acquired Dimmeys; administrators described Cool Breeze as a newly established entity created specifically for this acquisition with relevant industry experience.
On 19 November 2019, after 166 years in business, Dimmeys announced the closure of all 31 physical stores along with its online platform. This decision followed Cool Breeze Clothing entering voluntary administration and appointing a liquidator.
In 2021, plans were revealed to reopen multiple branches across eastern Australia, including sites at Westfield Knox in Melbourne and Childers, Queensland.
Current locations
By March 2025, Dimmeys operates 18 discount department stores spread across four Australian states. The company’s website continues to offer a range of products available for purchase.
The store locations are as follows:
- New South Wales - 3 outlets: Broken Hill, Corowa, and Lithgow
- Queensland - 2 outlets: Bundaberg and Childers
- South Australia - 1 outlet: Mount Gambier
- Victoria - 12 outlets: Box Hill, Coburg, Colac, Cowes, Dandenong, Gladstone Park, Mildura, Rosebud, Sale, Shepparton, Sunshine, and Werribee (with a new store planned for Richmond)
Marketing
The Dimmeys tower has become a distinctive emblem of the brand, frequently appearing in logos and advertising campaigns. Beginning in the early 1990s, former AFL star Robert DiPierdomenico ('Dipper') featured in television and radio advertisements promoting catchphrases such as "Be there!" and "$9.99!".
Swan Street location
The Swan Street store is notable for its architectural and historical importance within Victoria. In 1997, its clock tower was voted number one in The Age newspaper's 'Melbourne Icons' series. In tribute to Richmond footballer Kevin Bartlett's milestone 350th AFL game, the tower was painted yellow and black in 1981.
Artist Hayden Dewar produced a 67-metre mural on the Green Street side of the building in 2004, illustrating both the history of the store and that of Victoria dating back to 1853.
In 2008, Richmond Icon developers acquired the property for around $16 million. Their plan for a ten-storey residential project preserved the heritage-listed clock tower and building frontage but initially endangered parts of the mural. Following intervention by local council authorities, the mural was ultimately saved.
Dimmeys ceased operations at this site in December 2012. The location was redeveloped to include a Coles supermarket alongside a ten-storey apartment complex situated behind the original building. During this process, the clock tower was restored to its original brick facade and underwent waterproofing treatment.