Ballantynes
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| Private limited liability company | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Headquarters | 130 Cashel Street, Christchurch, New Zealand |
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Key people
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| Products | apparel, cosmetics, accessories, homewares, furniture, general merchandise |
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Number of employees
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over 300 |
| Website | ballantynes.co.nz |
J Ballantyne and Company Ltd, trading as Ballantynes is a Christchurch, New Zealand-based department store operator. Established in 1854, it is New Zealand's first department store. Ballantynes is also a member of the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores where by membership is limited to one member per country. As well as their flagship store in Christchurch Central City, the Cantabrian company operates stores in Timaru and at Christchurch International Airport. The company also operates Contemporary Lounge, a more youth-oriented fashion store, next to the Christchurch store.
The company traces its origins back to a millinery and drapery business that began in the front room of a Cashel Street residence in 1854. After being named Dunstable House and growing through owners and buildings, it was purchased by John Ballantyne in 1872. The business was managed as a series of partnerships involving Ballantyne family members until formed as the company J. Ballantyne & Co. in 1920.
From its humble beginnings the Ballantynes business expanded until, by 1947, it occupied 80 m of street front in Cashel Street, 50 m in Colombo Street and another 21 m in Lichfield Street. This prime corner site covered about an acre that contained seven conjoined buildings, six of which had three or more hardwood floors that were interconnected on multiple levels by large passageways between the buildings to allow staff and customers to move freely about the store. By the time of the infamous Ballantynes fire it was widely known as the 'queen of department stores' in the city. The showrooms, fitting rooms, art gallery and sumptuous tearooms catered to the elite of Canterbury. The business was owned and managed by two brothers who were from the Ballantyne family.
Today Ballantynes is the last local department store in Christchurch. Closest rival Arthur Barnett, located in the former Beaths Department Store Building directly across Colombo Street closed down in February 2006. The nearest competitor in the city is the lower-end nationwide Farmers chain. The closest Farmers, farther down Colombo Street, was demolished in August 2012 after suffering heavy damage in the earthquake.
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Wikipedia