Abstract

With forty stores and an established name in discount retailing, Dimmeys has been well known to bargain hunters for decades.  From its nineteenth century origins, however, it has evolved through various incarnations to become the store it is today.

Its genesis can be traced to a small Richmond drapery opened by Joseph Britten in 1853.  In the 1890s a Maryborough firm called Dimelow and Gaylard purchased Britten's business and soon became a leading Swan Street retailer.  The firm was known affectionately as 'Dimmeys' - a nickname that eventually stuck.

Following a fire in 1906, the firm's new owner John Sims Jeffrey undertook an amibitious rebuilding program that transformed Dimelow and Gaylard into an emporium of class and quality.  Renamed Dimmeys Model Stores, it was famous for its striking clock tower and was a centre of fashion and prestige.

Dimmeys was always able to compete strongly with the city draperies and over time it became particularly famous for its sales.  In a competitive market, Dimmeys found its niche as a bargain seller, but maintained its reputation for friendly service.

Dimmeys was a family owned business for most of the twentieth century, but nearly met its demise following an overly ambitious and ill-timed expansion program.  It collapsed under massive debts in 1996, but a new consortium purchased the business name and freeholds.  The new owners have steered the company in new directions, but maintain the tradition of providing the customer with a bargain.