Descendant of David Jones caught in collapse of retail empire
Ben Nothling, a descendant of the founder of the David Jones department store, is facing financial losses due to the collapse of the retail empire. His shoe brand, Holster, is among the creditors seeking unpaid funds from the defunct retailer.
Why it matters
The collapse of major retail chains has a cascading effect on smaller suppliers and independent brands, highlighting the fragility of retail supply chains.
Share article The collapse of David Jones has left smaller brands out of pocket, but for one business owner, the fallout is personal - with the empire his family built now threatening to tear his own business apart.
Ben Nothling started his shoe brand, Holster, 25 years ago in Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and it’s stocked in more than 30 countries worldwide.
In a cruel twist of fate, the great-great-great-grandson of David Jones is among the creditors fighting to recoup unpaid stock. A Current Affair
You could say retail is in Ben Nothling’s blood - after all, his great-great-great-grandfather happens to be the David Jones.
“If you’re an Aussie brand, that’s like the pinnacle of retail. You’re like, I want my brand in David Jones. So we were just focused on trying to get in there, and yeah, we eventually did in 2011,” Nothling told A Current Affair .
Headlinne story · 7 newsrooms
David Jones Receivers Plan to Close Half of Retailer’s Store Network
What every outlet reported, where they differ, and how each framed it →
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5 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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Three David Jones stores in Perth closing, with hundreds of jobs expected to be axed
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