Legacy retail stores might be closing but the sector is not dying
Several legacy retail brands in Australia, including Katies and Lincraft, are closing physical stores as consumer spending habits shift. While traditional retail is contracting, analysts suggest the sector is evolving rather than dying, as retailers struggle to adapt to modern market demands.
Why it matters
The decline of high-street retail reflects broader economic shifts in consumer behavior and the impact of digital transformation on traditional business models.
Australians are spending their money differently and some retailers can't keep up. ( ABC News: Sharon Gordon )
Link copied Share Share article Once likening its clothes to the fashions shown on the streets of Paris and Milan, Katies promised skirts, shirts, pants and knitwear for $26 a piece.
"Matchable clothes at an unmatchable price," was the women's retailer's tagline in a commercial aired in 1991.
At its peak in the 80s and 90s, Katies was seen as a worthy, more affordable opponent of garments sold at David Jones and Myer for women who wanted to look smart and stylish on a budget.
"From top to toe everything is $19," one advertisement for skirts and sweaters read.
The "Going Places with Katies" campaign was a popular, iconic advertising slogan used by Katies during the 1980s. ( Supplied: Australian Women's Weekly )
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