John Martin's

John Martin & Co. Ltd
Company type	Private (formerly public)
Industry	Retail (department store)
Founded	1866
Founder	Otto Peters, John Martin
Defunct	1998
Fate	Acquired by David Jones; stores closed
Headquarters	Adelaide, Australia
Area served	South Australia
Key people	Hayward family (majority owners), John Martin, E. W. Hayward, Richard Martin
Products	Department store goods
Number of employees	~500 (circa 1880)
Parent	David Jones (from 1985)

John Martin & Co. Ltd, commonly referred to as John Martin's or Johnnies, was a department store chain based in Adelaide, South Australia, that operated from 1866 until its closure in 1998. Predominantly owned by the Hayward family, it became a celebrated Adelaide institution, famously organizing the Adelaide Christmas Pageant. Eventually, the company was purchased by David Jones.

History

The origins of John Martin's trace back to a single draper’s shop called "Peters and Martin," established on Rundle Street by Otto Peters and John Martin in 1866. Peters departed early on to open a store in Palmerston (now Darwin) and tragically perished in the SS Gothenburg shipwreck. By 1880, the business had grown to feature a 120-foot frontage, with John Martin, E. W. Hayward, and Richard Martin as principal partners, employing around 500 workers. The company transitioned into a limited liability entity in 1889, the same year John Martin passed away.

A redevelopment initiative commenced in 1898, which involved replacing the Charles Street corner block and expanding the store frontage to 180 feet after acquiring the King of Hanover Hotel in 1902. In 1934, the central section was reconstructed into a seven-storey building equipped with modern amenities designed to avoid disruption to the Magic Cave attraction.

John Martin's established itself as a reputable middle-market department store recognized for its quality merchandise, extensive selection, and value proposition. It branded itself as the "Big Store" located on Rundle Street—Adelaide’s premier shopping district. The company collaborated with other regional department stores such as Sydney’s Grace Bros and Tasmania’s FitzGerald's through joint ownership of the Intercontinental Buying Group during an era when Australian department stores primarily operated within their respective states. Additionally, John Martin's held significant equity stakes in major South Australian enterprises.

In 1964, John Martin's sponsored The Beatles' visit to Adelaide, an event that was not initially included in their tour itinerary.

During the 1970s, John Martin's launched Venture, a national discount retail chain that was later sold off and operated independently until it ceased operations in 1994 due to unrelated financial difficulties.

Decline, acquisition and closure

By the 1980s, department store retailing faced fierce competition, prompting regional chains to merge or consolidate to increase sales and reduce costs by leveraging economies of scale across multiple locations. Competitors of John Martin's expanded nationwide; for instance, Myer acquired Lindsay's (which formed its Target chain), Boans, and Grace Bros. In 1985, food and discount retailer Coles acquired Myer. Discount chains such as Kmart, Target, and Big W were rapidly growing during this period.

The introduction of Australian bank credit cards in 1974 transformed consumer purchasing behavior by diminishing reliance on department store-specific "in house" credit cards. John Martin's had issued its own distinctive orange credit card; however, broader access to bank credit cards enabled customers to shop more flexibly across various retailers.

Amid these challenges, John Martin's operated in a difficult retail environment. In the early 1980s, the publicly traded company became a takeover target; retailer Solomon Lew was at one point a major shareholder. Stability returned in 1985 when David Jones, controlled by the Adelaide Steamship Company, acquired John Martin's.

David Jones maintained John Martin's as a separate brand positioned toward a more value-conscious market segment. In the mid-1990s, John Martin's faced intensified competition from discount department stores and local rival Harris Scarfe, which expanded beyond its Rundle Mall location into suburban Adelaide. The retail landscape was characterized by frequent discount promotions. Attempting to revitalize its brand, John Martin's introduced a new logo in early 1994 alongside a price-matching policy; nevertheless, sales and profitability failed to improve.

The outlets at Elizabeth Shopping Centre and Westfield Arndale were sold to Harris Scarfe—Elizabeth in June 1997 and Arndale in November 1997 respectively. The Elizabeth location was later acquired by Myer in 2007 but returned to Harris Scarfe control in May 2015 after Myer chose not to renew the lease. Stores at Westfield Marion and West Lakes Mall were rebranded as David Jones outlets in October 1996. Additionally, the John Martin's outdoor furniture store at Keswick, formerly operated as Clark Rubber under Adelaide Steamship Company management, was shuttered.

The final John Martin's flagship store located on Rundle Mall in the Adelaide city centre closed on 15 March 1998 despite significant public opposition. The Art Deco building was demolished to pave the way for Adelaide Central Plaza—a development featuring a smaller David Jones store alongside other retailers—that opened in August 2000. The former David Jones premises were sold and redeveloped into Rundle Mall Plaza in 2002. Meanwhile, the John Martin's car park site was transformed into residential apartments above retail space; adjacent plaza areas remain known as Charles Street Plaza. Multiple efforts to have the original John Martin's building heritage-listed were unsuccessful.

Locations

Established in 1886, John Martin's became a well-known retailer anchored by its six-story flagship store located on Adelaide's Rundle Street (which was later renamed Rundle Mall). The company extended its reach into suburban shopping centres, opening branches at Arndale in 1963, Elizabeth in 1964, Marion in 1968, and West Lakes in 1975. In addition to these outlets, John Martin's operated a Bulk Store warehouse situated in Lockleys and an outdoor furniture retail location in Keswick. Altogether, the business maintained five stores: the central city location plus four suburban branches.

The retail operations of John Martin's were further bolstered by a network of independent country retailers who served as agents throughout regional South Australia.

Legacy

Following the closure of John Martin's stores, the brand name was returned to the Hayward family by David Jones.

John Martin's held significant cultural importance within South Australia, notably sponsoring prominent events such as the Adelaide Christmas Pageant and the Adelaide Festival of Arts. The cherished Christmas tradition known as the Magic Cave, situated in the Rundle Street store, originated in 1896. In 1933, Edward Hayward initiated the inaugural John Martin's Christmas Pageant, which from 1934 featured Father Christmas making his entrance into the Magic Cave.

The Magic Cave tradition is preserved by David Jones today, albeit on a reduced scale and relocated near the furniture section rather than occupying its original dedicated space next to the toy department, which included a unique Santa Express Lift. Ownership of the pageant has since transferred to government authorities; for two decades its naming rights were held by major credit unions before National Pharmacies assumed sponsorship in 2019. The event is currently branded as the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant.

In September 2024, Paul Flavel published the first extensive history of John Martin’s. Additionally, a television documentary produced by South Australian company ABCx is planned for release toward the end of 2026.

History

Decline, acquisition and closure

Locations

Legacy

Further reading