Are you being served? H&J Smiths – end of an era
H&J Smith will shut its doors for a final time on November 18 this year. It will be the end of an era for many in Queenstown, leaving many fond memories among its former staff and fans.
The Southland family-owned group’s Queenstown store at its peak encompassed 12 businesses in all, and has been a local shoppers’ staple.
From school uniforms, socks and lingerie to homeware and furniture, the company expanded over the years into H&J’s Electrical, providing electrical contracting services, an appliance store, and dabbled in lawnmowers and fireplaces before Mitre 10 hardware opened.
Based in Invercargill, the first store was opened in 1900 by Invercargill siblings Helen and John Smith with just £328 capital, and by 1971 a very different looking company arrived in Queenstown purchasing Wheatley’s Ltd in Queenstown Mall and opening its first H&Js store here. By 1981 the store had expanded next door to include the adjoining Hide Shop selling knitwear, lanolin, and sheepskin products to international tour groups.
Through the 70s the company continued to expand its retail and business interests mostly concentrating in the South Island.
Brian Tall moved from the Invercargill store to open the Queenstown Mall store in 1979, managing it until 1989. Wife Margaret’s association with H&Js spans 60 years on and off, as a part-timer or relief in Queenstown. It was definitely a family affair, Son Munro Tall says. “Mum and Dad worked both in Invercargill and here, one of my grandmothers worked at the Invercargill store café, The Copper Kettle, and the other grandmother was cleaner and carer for the Smiths. My sister worked at H&Js in the school holidays and me after school, Mum and Dad used to call it ‘Smith and Tall’.”
Brian had a great rapport with customers and staff, instinctively knowing what foreign tourists wanted even if he didn’t speak their lingo.
Brian prided the store on old-fashioned service, as did H&Js. “He was a wonderful man, really old school, like on (TV show) ‘Are You Being Served?’,” says former Queenstown office administrator Sue Farrow. “He trained all the staff to do whatever the customer wanted. The customer was always right,” says Sue. Margaret, now 89, agrees. On one occasion Sue’s manager Jennifer McLay was in quite a state as a customer bought a dress on a Friday, returning it on Monday, having worn it to a wedding, the smell giving the show away. “I was shocked, but she had the tags and receipt, and the customer was always right,” grins Sue.
Sue recalls the move from the Mall to the Remarkables Park store in 2006, as does delivery man of 25 years Lindsay Key who transported the stock between the two across many loads.
The customer wasn’t always right in Lindsay’s job, well, their directions weren’t anyway. On several occasions he found himself in precarious positions as a result, trying to off-load large couches and unable to access houses on steep sections. “In one case there was a painter there and he had to completely remove a window for us.”
Sue Forsyth worked in lingerie, often called out of a staff meeting, her expert hand required for yet another bra fitting. No need for boob jobs back then. Even the largest size - they stocked up to an 18Double G, wasn’t enough to fit the odd size 20 customer, who would be sent to The Warehouse next door.
Underwear packs went all the way up to size 22 or 24. Prior to opening on the morning the new Remarkables Park store launched, some staff secretly donned oversized undies over their clothes and pretended to walk the shop catwalk to let off a bit of steam,” says Sue.
On another occasion a staff member went to pick up a pile of clothes from the changing room and a set of false teeth fell out. “It was about three weeks before the person came back for them.”
The late night, discount, invite only Cardholders night, just prior to Christmas each year, has always had the local ladies abuzz with excitement, ready for some Christmas specials.
H&J Smith announced late last month that its Queenstown and Invercargill stores will close for good on November 18. Mitre 10 MEGA in both centres will operate as usual.
