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David Jones will close half of its department stores as the iconic retailer fights for its future. Hundreds of staff across the country and some in New Zealand face losing their jobs going into the festive season. But the 188-year-old retailer says this is the only way it can survive.

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00:02News of David Jones' demise sparked a shopping frenzy.
00:06There's a lot of people in there.
00:07Everyone's gone on a crazy rampage.
00:10But bumper sales in the last week weren't enough to keep bad news at bay.
00:15A week after taking over the retail giant's operations,
00:18the receivers confirming that they're closing half its stores.
00:22Five in Sydney's suburbs, three in Victoria.
00:26Perth's flagship store also going,
00:29along with sites in South Australia, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
00:34Very safe for everybody.
00:35Yes, it's a disgrace that's close and done.
00:38Thinking about all the people that will lose jobs and then the flow-on effect.
00:4219 stores in total are being shuttered in a bid to keep the company viable.
00:48David Jones was defaulting on rent.
00:50It was placed into administration last week after talks with landlords broke down.
00:55Staff were told by the top boss today that the business could not continue operating as it was.
01:02This change, she said, is about creating a network that is financially sustainable.
01:07In New South Wales and ACT, there's up to 800 direct jobs at risk through this process
01:11and many more concession jobs as well.
01:13We'll be working very hard to maximise the retention of as many jobs as possible.
01:17The staff who were impacted by these closures are still going to have to put on some Christmas cheer for
01:23their customers
01:24with these 19 stores impacted to trade through the busy festive season and then close at the end of the
01:31year.
01:31We wouldn't be surprised to see more closures.
01:33The CBD stores, these do much higher turnover and may survive.
01:38Suppliers already counting their losses.
01:41One of the initial benefits will be a lot of great Australian and international brands
01:45will be looking to mire to ensure that they've got a department store presence.
01:51A slimmed down DJ's might be more attractive to a new owner.
01:55A Christmas wish not only for its loyal customers,
01:59but the staff and administrators of the struggling icon.
02:02A Christmas wish it fell in funciona and now it's gone.
02:04A Christmas wish it fell in a Christmas wish not only for a doubleichthy unboxing.
02:04Oh yeah I did, but the Halloween wish are thinking about 7 years ago.
02:04It was a traditionally fun because they were making theãy one of the customers
02:04viewing a Christmas wish not only for yourself,

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