I think I know why Debenhams hit the buffers.

[Guy Profumo]

They don't open in the mornings

(At least, not until 9:30 on Saturdays, and 10:00 weekdays.)


Shop not open, ergo no footfall

No footfall, no sales - no sales, no revenue - no revenue, no turnover - no turnover, no profit

Eat your heart out Mary Portas.

[Sporting]

Department stores open at ten in Spain.

[Jah Womble]

Footfall's coming home.

[3 Colours Red]

GAME doesn't open till 10 either... not that you'd go in there to buy games anyway. Overpriced with pathetic stock levels.

They've very nearly gone under once already; wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised if they're in a similar situation sharpish.

[Benjm]

I haven't been to Debenhams for a few years and my last few visits were to collect stuff I'd ordered online.

It seemed quite confused to me, both in terms of what they offer, a seemingly random mix of brands and own label stuff, and in the actual layout of the shop, which was overfull and hard to navigate.

[ad hoc]

Do you reckon that the increased costs (staffing, heating, lighting, etc etc) would be recouped by the number of people who want to buy clothes or pottery at 8.30am?

[Logan Mountstuart]

The Dutch equivalent, Vroom en Dreesman went bust 4 years ago, shedding 20,000 jobs. They had a virtual monopoly of department stores in Holland, and occupied 80 massive buildings throughout Holland. These dominated virtually every shopping street. Some were 70s monstrosities, most were in beautifully ornate 20s and 30s style buildings.

The department store is dead as a concept.

It's a real shame. We had a contract to deliver to the La Place restaurants in the stores for the last 2 years of their existence (great forward planning again by our inciteful management). Most of these involved wriggling the truck into wonderful underground catacombs under the shops. It was fun, much more interesting than McDonald's.

The best thing was that nearly every depot was run by 60ish, Focus loving, long haired ex hippies. They were lovely people to stop for a smoke and a coffee with. Many of them had worked there for 35, even 40 years.

It was desperately sad towards the end. They we're all laid off, and, of course, got screwed on their pensions.

[ursus arctos]

Another victim of a US private equity fund, Sun Capital in this case

Macy's, which used to advertise itself as the largest store in the world, opens at 9 on Saturday and 10 every other day of the week. I haven't been in there in at least 15 years.

[Sporting]

El Corte Inglés seems to be thriving:

https://www.elcorteingles.es/informa...lidated-group/

[ursus arctos]

Has online shopping become dominant in Spain?

[Sporting]

It's increasing in popularity but I think the vast majority of shoppers prefer the personal experience. We live on the streets, see.

[ursus arctos]

That's what I would have expected. Italy is similar in that respect.

[Guy Profumo]

Do you reckon that the increased costs (staffing, heating, lighting, etc etc) would be recouped by the number of people who want to buy clothes or pottery at 8.30am?

It'll be recouped by me buying shirts at 8:30 in the morning at Marks and Sparks and at any other time of the day at any other store by not being challenged by pig ignorant shit brusquely informing me "we're shut" despite having thrown the doors wide open.

[DCI Harry Batt]

The only times I've been in Debenhams in recent years is on the way through from the car park to the rest of the mall. Can't imagine stopping.

[Ginger Yellow]

GAME doesn't open till 10 either... not that you'd go in there to buy games anyway. Overpriced with pathetic stock levels.

They've very nearly gone under once already; wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised if they're in a similar situation sharpish.

They just got bought out by Mike Ashley.

Also, they did go under, in 2012.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I had to hire a dinner suit last year (yeah I know) and the only place in town that does them is Debenhams (or at least a concession within Debenhams). From the ensuing chaos, I was left with the conclusion that they rival Carlisle United for the title of 'privately owned business operating in Carlisle that is the most reluctant to take money off you'. Which was annoying, cos that is the only title Carlisle United are likely to contend for any time soon.

[WOM]

In baffling retail observations, there's a chain in the Outer Banks (and possibly elsewhere) called Wings / Super Wings that sells all manner of tourist tat. It's 90% t-shirts, hoodies, sweat pants, etc. with a smattering of boogie boards*, cheap jewelry, hermit crabs**, beer glasses, beach chairs, etc.

But good God, the volume of inventory they have! Every rack is chock full in every size imaginable - and these are not small stores - and the walls are covered, 10 or 15 items deep on racks, all the way up to the roof. If they stopped taking deliveries, I'm sure it would be a year or more before the place was empty. Yet they're continuously restocking the place, and all for a tourism season that can't honestly be more than 16 weeks long. I'd love to know the economics of the whole outfit.


*Ton Ton, they're for body surfing in the ocean
**Ton Ton, they're live crabs in hand-painted shells

[ursus arctos]

Began in Myrtle Beach in 1978, privately held and now headquartered in New York

Losing defendants in a reasonably important sexual harassment case in the Fourth Circuit.

[WOM]

Privately held, and impenetrable AF. Their website is just a placeholder, and it looks like it would be a challenge to even establish how many locations they have. There must be a dozen or more in OBX alone.

[ursus arctos]

Thus my linking to the Fourth Circuit case.

I can can only imagine what their financials look like, and they seemed quite determined to keep it that way.

[Ginger Yellow]

I still find it amusing that Luxembourg is more transparent than the US for private companies.

[WOM]

Thus my linking to the Fourth Circuit case.

I can can only imagine what their financials look like, and they seemed quite determined to keep it that way.

They have massive locations, which are all the same architecturally, so I assumed they're all owned rather than leased / rented. Hmmm. All built on the back of '2 for $20' t shirts.

[ursus arctos]

One can see how it would work.

Commercial real estate is cheap (especially given the current state of retail here), labour is almost certainly mostly seasonal and all non-union and cheap, goods are even cheaper, there's no need for national (or even regional) advertising - margins must be rather healthy.

The key is not over expanding to markets where one might face higher costs or real competition, so one can easily see why barrier islands are their favourite places.

[BallochSonsFan]

Shops don't open until 10 in Germany and most are closed on Sundays.

tbh I'm surprised more shops don't change their opening hours from 9-6 to 10-7. Extra hour in the morning won't lose them many customers but the hour at night could be really useful to allow shoppers to shop after work.

Debenhams problems are numerous. Right now there's a big issue with stock. It's Sports Direct tat they're selling now. Gone is the Rocha John Rocha stuff.

[ad hoc]

That Wings place just screams money laundering the way WOM describes it