The Rise and Fall of New Zealand’s Most Glamorous Department Store: Smith & Caughey’s
Forgotten New Zealand
4,287 views
The Rise and Fall of New Zealand’s Most Glamorous Department Store: Smith & Caughey’s
In December 2021, a Queen Street store's Christmas windows ranked fifth worldwide, behind Macy's and Selfridges. Smith & Caughey's wasn't just a store — it was where Auckland's Christmas began, the place where staff drilled rifles in the cellar.
The grande dame, 145 years strong.
But Matt Harray, there since age fourteen, announced the end on 21 May 2025. At 4pm on 15 June, old staff photos still flickered across the final window.
Today, the building stands empty, reportedly under conditional contract for about $58 million. 455 days after closing, trains finally ran beneath midtown. This is the story of how a store survived two world wars but not its street — and what empty windows say about cities.
This is not just the story of a department store. It's the story of what a city loses when it shops elsewhere.
#SmithAndCaugheys #QueenStreet #LostNewZealand #NZHistory #RiseAndFall #NewZealand
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The Rise and Fall of New Zealand’s Most Glamorous Department Store: Smith & Caughey’s
Forgotten New Zealand
4,287 views
The Rise and Fall of New Zealand’s Most Glamorous Department Store: Smith & Caughey’s
In December 2021, a Queen Street store's Christmas windows ranked fifth worldwide, behind Macy's and Selfridges. Smith & Caughey's wasn't just a store — it was where Auckland's Christmas began, the place where staff drilled rifles in the cellar.
The grande dame, 145 years strong.
But Matt Harray, there since age fourteen, announced the end on 21 May 2025. At 4pm on 15 June, old staff photos still flickered across the final window.
Today, the building stands empty, reportedly under conditional contract for about $58 million. 455 days after closing, trains finally ran beneath midtown. This is the story of how a store survived two world wars but not its street — and what empty windows say about cities.
This is not just the story of a department store. It's the story of what a city loses when it shops elsewhere.
#SmithAndCaugheys #QueenStreet #LostNewZealand #NZHistory #RiseAndFall #NewZealand