New year closure for Orange Myer store

The announcement that Orange’s Myer department store will close its doors in January has prompted responses across the local community.

Myer announced 20 May that departments stores in Wollongong and Orange would close.

Orange mayor John Davis said he was saddened for the Orange’s store’s 50 local staff and their families.

“There are many long-term employees who’ve served customers for decades in this landmark business in Orange’s main street,” Cr John Davis said. “Today’s announcement will be felt deeply by these employees.”

Mayor Davis said a representative of Myer management had been in touch on the day of the announcement, confirming that the company had looked closely at the Orange’s store’s future before making the decision to close.

LANDMARK : Myer will cease trading from the historic Summer Street store in January, triggering a a major re-furbishment of the building.

“While the Myer company is exploring a new direction, it’s a vote of confidence in strength of the local economy that the owner of the building is already making plans for a major upgrade and refurbishment of the building.”

“The plan is to create space fronting Summer Street for four smaller retail stores, along with two new speciality shops which will front onto Post Office Lane,” Cr John Davis said.

“There will also be room for two stores in the ’mini-major category’, as well as three new tenancies upstairs.”

Harris Scarfe to open in Orange

The Orange City Centre has announced plans to incorporate the Myer building into the design of the City Centre mall.

The proposal is for two specialty stores on either side of an expanded entrance into the City Centre from Summer Street.

A release from the Orange City Centre says work would begin in April 2017 and would include a new retail outlet in Orange for the Harris Scarfe clothing chain.

Mayor John Davis said the latest changes are part of a century and a half of retailing history in Orange.

“This building was originally built by the Dalton Brothers who opened a store during the gold rush. Since then, it’s been run by household names including in Western Stores and Grace Brothers as well as Myer. These changes are another step in that long retailing journey.”