View source for Grace Bros

{{Short description|Defunct Australian department store chain}}
{{redirect|Grace Brothers|the fictional department store portrayed in the BBC TV series|Are You Being Served?}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Grace Bros
| logo = Gracebros.png
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = 
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1885|df=yes}}
| founder = Albert Edward Grace<br />Joseph Neal Grace
| defunct = {{End date and age|2004|df=yes}}
| fate = Acquired by [[Myer]]
| location_city = [[Sydney]]
| location_country = Australia
| area_served = 
| industry = [[Retail]]
| products = [[Department Store]]
| services = 
| revenue = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income = 
| divisions = 
| subsid = 
| owner = [[Coles Group|Coles Myer]]
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20020802021013/http://www.gracebros.com.au:80/ www.gracebros.com.au]}}

'''Grace Bros''' was an Australian [[department store]] chain, founded in 1885. It was bought by [[Myer]] (later [[Coles Group|Coles Myer]]) in 1983. There were 25 stores across [[New South Wales]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]] plus a few in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], until they were re-branded under the Myer name in 2004.

==History==
[[File:SLNSW 43868 Mr AE Grace Micks father the head of Grace Bros department store and his secretary in his office.jpg|thumb|Albert Edward Grace, the head of Grace Bros department store and his secretary in his office]]
[[File:Advertising signs for Grace Bros 12 Days Sale.jpg|thumb|[[Broadway Shopping Centre|Broadway Grace Bros]] store in the 1930s]]
Grace Bros had a long and rich history of retailing in [[New South Wales]], especially in [[Sydney]] following its founding by the Grace brothers, Albert Edward and Joseph Neal Grace, in 1885.<ref>{{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography | last=Walsh |first=G. P. |title=Joseph Neal Grace (1859–1931) |id2=grace-joseph-neal-6442 |year=1983 |volume=9 |access-date=25 August 2006}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020811090049/http://gracebros.com.au/about/history.asp History] Grace Bros</ref> The two brothers migrated from England in the 1880s and sold goods door-to-door. In 1885, they opened their first small shop in [[George Street, Sydney]] and by 1906, they had opened a five-storey building at Broadway (now the site of the [[Broadway Shopping Centre]]). In 1931, Joseph Neal Grace died and Albert Grace became managing director of Grace Bros. Prior to his death in 1938, Albert Grace planned suburban expansion of the Grace Bros stores from the city, a move which is considered the reason Grace Bros survived when many of their contemporaries perished such as [[Anthony Hordern & Sons]] and [[Mark Foy's]]. Isabel Grace died in 1970, aged 86.

===Broadway===
Sydney's major Grace Bros was located on [[Broadway, New South Wales|Broadway]]. Through several different stores at varied locations in the city, the store first came to Bay Street in 1904. Subsequent additions and property purchases over the years culminated in the existing buildings being completed in 1923. Grace Bros boasted a store with, among many features, "three and a half acres of furniture"!<ref>{{cite web|work=Broadway Shopping Centre |title=Broadway Shopping Centre History |url=http://www.broadway-centre.com.au/overview/living_history.asp |access-date=25 August 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820094702/http://www.broadway-centre.com.au/overview/living_history.asp |archive-date=20 August 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Grace auditorium dominated the social life of Sydney with dances, fashion parades, children's events displays and pantomimes held within it. 1954 saw the Royal Visit of [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] with the Broadway stores extensively decorated. However, the centre of Sydney shopping gradually moved from Broadway into the current CBD around [[Market Street, Sydney|Market]] and [[Pitt Street|Pitt]] streets, and Grace Bros vacated the Broadway store in 1992. The building was resurrected as a multimillion-dollar retail and cinema complex in 1998.

===The Grace Building===
In 1926, the Grace Brothers, Albert Edward and Joseph Neal Grace, purchased a block of land on the corner of [[York Street, Sydney|York]], [[Clarence Street, Sydney|Clarence]] and [[King Street, Sydney|King]] streets in [[Sydney]], on which they would build the [[Grace Building, Sydney|Grace Building]], the jewel in the crown of their retail empire. They believed the site was perfectly positioned for the building they planned would become "The Showpiece of the Company", with new public transport routes and the coming [[Sydney Harbour Bridge]] turning York and Clarence streets in the major city thoroughfares. Company letterhead even showed the building as being "...on the Harbour Bridge Highway." Broadway had been affected by the shift of the city's commercial district toward [[Circular Quay]] and the changing public transport routes away from Sydney's south end, and so the Grace Building was to be the company's saviour. The Grace Building was officially opened by Sydney Lord Mayor [[Ernest Marks]] on 3 July 1930.

York Street never became the shopping thoroughfare the Grace Brothers had envisaged and, combined with the effects of the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s, the building never lived up to expectations. By the onset of  [[World War II]] Grace Bros was experiencing difficulty in leasing office suites<ref>{{cite web|title=Grace Building|url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?id=5045395|work=[[Office of Environment & Heritage]]|publisher=NSW Government|access-date=26 August 2013}}</ref> and much of the space was allocated to government departments. In 1943 the Grace Building was requisitioned under national security regulations by the [[Government of Australia|Federal Government]] for use as headquarters by the Supreme Commander of allied forces in the south-west Pacific, [[Douglas Macarthur|General Douglas MacArthur]]. In 1945, the Grace Building was compulsorily acquired by the [[Government of Australia|Commonwealth]]. In 1995, it was purchased by the Low Yat Group of [[Kuala Lumpur]] for [[adaptive reuse]] as a 382-room hotel, opening in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/section07/grace_gracechron.php |title=chronology of the Grace Building |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723001057if_/http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/section07/grace_gracechron.php |archive-date=23 July 2011 |publisher=Board of Studies NSW}}</ref>

===Suburban store growth===
[[File:SLNSW 12417 A new Grace Bros regional store Parramatta.jpg|thumb|Grace Bros, [[Parramatta]] in 1939]]
Grace Bros opened two small stores in suburban Sydney (now in [[Westfield Parramatta]] and [[Westfield Bondi Junction]] respectively) as early as in 1933; these stores were completely rebuilt and expanded in 1957 into the first department stores in Australia designed [[Car park|with the family car in mind]].

In 1965, the [[Roselands Shopping Centre]] opened as one of the first major shopping centres in Australia. The centrepiece was a large Grace Bros department store. Suburban stores were subsequently opened at Stockland Mall Maroubra (became a clearance outlet from September 1994, closed 2002), [[Westfield Mount Druitt]] (opened 1973, closed June 2004), [[Westfield Hurstville]] (closed 24 January 2015), [[Westfield Miranda]] (also featuring a "Grace Bros Sport" concept store in the late 1990s), [[Westfield Parramatta]], [[Westfield Penrith]], [[Top Ryde City|Ryde]] (closed 1985), [[Westfield Bondi Junction]], [[Westfield Burwood]] (now a [[David Jones (department store)|David Jones]]) (a tiny co-existing Grace Bros ladies and fashion accessories store operated between 1981-1983 when it moved into and re-branded the existing Myer location, it was around the corner and separate from the Myer store on level 2 of Westfield Burwood), [[Blacktown]] (opened 1973, closed April 2022), [[Castle Hill, New South Wales|Castle Hill]], [[Westfield Hornsby]] (opened 1979, closed January 2020), [[Westfield Liverpool]], [[Carlingford Court]] (now a [[Target Australia|Target]]), [[Westfield Chatswood]], [[Macquarie Centre]] and [[Westfield Warringah Mall]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020806182632/http://www.gracebros.com.au/stores/nsw.asp Store Locations] Grace Bros</ref>

The Castle Hill store which opened on 11 August 2001, was the final store to be opened under the Grace Bros brand and was also the final store to be designed in NSW, with a team at the Roselands support office overseeing all the plans and development. Around the same time, Grace Bros brought the [[Megamart]] furniture and electrical brand into New South Wales, opening superstores in [[Auburn, New South Wales|Auburn]], [[Casula]] (opened 2002) and [[Alexandria, New South Wales|Alexandria]] (opened 2003).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20031009173514/http://www.gracebros.com.au/stores/nsw.asp Store Locations] Grace Bros</ref>

===Country Stores===
Over the years, Grace Bros opened and also acquired other stores as part of its expansion. Notable was the acquisition of publicly listed [[Queanbeyan]] and [[Canberra]] retailer, [[JB Young's]] during late 1979.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/137007448 Grace Bros] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 9 January 1980 page 20</ref> The JB Young's stores traded under this name until mid 1986 when rebranded to Grace Bros.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118203166 Youngs changes name to Grace Bros] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 6 February 1986 page 7</ref> By acquiring JB Young's, Grace Bros also became the owner of the value positioned, apparel and manchester retailer [[Fosseys]] and benefited from stores JB Young's had acquired in their 1974 purchase of NSW retailer John Meagher & Co.

There was a specific "Country Division" within Grace Bros based in Canberra, established in 1985 at the time of the name change from Youngs to Grace Bros. The Country Division was responsible for regional merchandising at the stores including [[Kingston, Australian Capital Territory|Kingston]], [[Woden Valley]], [[Dickson, Australian Capital Territory|Dickson]], [[Civic, Australian Capital Territory|Civic]], [[Fyshwick]], Queanbeyan, [[Goulburn]], [[Cooma]], and [[Batemans Bay]]. The Country Division also included former Myer (some of which were branded as [[Western Stores|The Western Stores]] in [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]], [[Dubbo]], [[Gosford]], [[Orange, New South Wales|Orange]], [[Wagga Wagga]], [[Young, New South Wales|Young]], [[Cowra]], [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]], [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]] and [[Tamworth, New South Wales|Tamworth]]. New country stores were opened in [[Wollongong]], [[Charlestown Square|Charlestown]], [[Erina Fair|Erina]] (relocated from Gosford). Both Newcastle and Cessnock closed when new store opened at Charlestown in 1989.

Some of the stores that have closed include Goulburn (closed 1995), [[Ulladulla]], [[Nowra]] (closed 2003), Tamworth (converted in 2003 to a Target),<ref>{{cite web|work=NSW Government Hansard |title=Tamworth and Nowra Grace Bros Store Closures |url=http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA20030508030 |access-date=25 August 2006 |publisher=NSW Parliament |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516220149/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20030508030 |archive-date=16 May 2006 }}</ref> Bathurst (closed 2004), Cooma, Queanbeyan, [[Bairnsdale]] (after becoming a Myer, converted to a [[Kmart Australia|Kmart]] in 2004<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2004/06/02/1121335.htm |title=Bairnsdale Myer set to close doors |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|date=2004-06-02 |access-date=2013-08-26}}</ref>). In 1982 there were plans to open a Grace Bros. in [[Strathpine, Queensland]] but due to the take over of Myer NSW by Grace Bros. Holdings the store opened at the [[Strathpine Centre]] as a Myer in 1983 and remained opened until 2007. Myer Wollongong ([[Wollongong Central]]) closed on 3 October 2016. Myer Orange closed on 29 January 2017, after 167 years of trading through various owners, 21 of those years it was branded Grace Bros.

===Taken over===
In July 1982, Grace Bros sold its 57% shareholding in [[Harvey Norman|Norman Ross]] to [[Waltons (department store)|Waltons]].<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126885690 99pc Control after Grace Bros sell stake] ''Canberra Times'' 23 July 1982 page 16</ref>  In April 1983 Grace Bros purchased most of [[Myer]]'s New South Wales stores excluding [[Albury]], [[Chatswood Chase Sydney|Chatswood Chase]], [[Gordon, New South Wales|Gordon]], [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]], [[WEstfield Miranda|Miranda]] and [[Tweed Heads]].<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116449396 Grace Bros and Myer in $65m deal] ''Canberra Times'' 12 February 1983 page 1</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116450396 Grace Bros assumes control of Myer retailing in April] ''Canberra Times'' 16 February 1983 page 34</ref>

Having been the subject of a battle for control with the [[Adelaide Steamship Company]], [[Bond Corporation]], [[FAI Insurance]], Myer, [[Westfield Group|Westfield]] and [[Woolworths Group (Australia)|Woolworths]] all buying and selling sizeable blocks of shares in 1982/83, Myer's [[Takeover#Hostile|takeover bid]] for Grace Bros was successful in June 1983.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126904540 40 Per Cent of Retailer in Friendly Hands] ''Canberra Times'' 22 June 1982 page 19</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126906128 Woolworths moves on Grace Bros] ''Canberra Times'' 30 June 1982 page 36</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126890573 Grace Bros recommends takeover] ''Canberra Times'' 20 August 1982 page 12</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116375464 FAI grabs a stake in the Grace maze] ''Canberra Times'' 25 March 1983 page 13</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116376446 Bond launches bid to break impasse in Grace Bros] ''Canberra Times'' 31 March 1983 page 11</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131849591 Myer wins Grace saga] ''Canberra Times'' 16 June 1983 page 22</ref> The Myer store on Market and Pitt Streets in Sydney became the main Grace Bros store. In 1985, the company became a division of  [[Coles Group|Coles Myer]], and the Grace Bros stores effectively merged with the 35 Victorian based Myer stores. In February 2004 a marketing decision was made to rebrand all the Grace Bros stores as Myer stores.<ref>{{cite web|work=B&T magazine |title=Coles Myer ditches Grace Bros name |url=http://www.bandt.com.au/news/60/0c01d760.asp |access-date=25 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926223318/http://www.bandt.com.au/news/60/0c01d760.asp |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}</ref>

Up until July 2024, despite being a defunct retail chain, the Grace Bros. website was accessible and would only show an old photo of young women who are shopping for glassware. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gracebros.com.au/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301203438/https://www.gracebros.com.au/ | archive-date=1 March 2023 | title=Grace Bros }}</ref>

==Grace Bros Removals==
[[Grace Removals]] was established by Albert Edward and Joseph Neal Grace in Sydney in 1911. In 1984 it was sold to [[Brambles Limited|Brambles]] who on-sold it in 1994 to [[Crown Worldwide Group]].<ref>[Two giant removalists merge for more impact] ''[[Freight & Container Transportation]]'' July 1984 page 18</ref><ref>[https://doc.morningstar.com/Document/a1497d2765971a39.msdoc/original?clientid=globaldocuments&key=52dbc583e1012395 Annual Report for year ended 30 June 1995] Brambles Industries Limited</ref><ref>[http://www.brambles.com/our-history Our History] [[Brambles Limited|Brambles]]</ref><ref>[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/removal-firm-we-all-know/news-story/e9d78a6979b22c3a3434a28495b809af?sv=ccb79af452bd99f7028d32441ebfc2f3 Removal firm we all know]{{dead link |date=March 2024}} ''[[Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]]'' 11 April 2011</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/section07/grace_lumbygrace.php Reading the Past in the Grace Building]{{dead link |date=March 2024}} at NSW Teaching Heritage

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020802021013/http://www.gracebros.com.au:80/ Official website (archived)]
*{{cite web | url = http://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/grace_brothers | title = Grace Brothers | access-date = 11 October 2015 | author = Michael Lech - Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales | date = 2011 | work = [[Dictionary of Sydney]] | publisher = Dictionary of Sydney Trust}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Companies based in Sydney]]
[[Category:Defunct department stores of Australia]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1885]]
[[Category:Retail companies disestablished in 2004]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2004 disestablishments in Australia]]