Now that Harris Scarfe has pulled the pin on opening a department store in the planned, sometime-in-the-future, rebuilt old Myer building, it’s time to look at what Orange can attract to fill the gap.
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The way things are going it might be a tough haul but Orange needs new fashion outlets to replace Myer because we’re supposed to be losing shoppers to Dubbo and Bathurst.
There’s an opportunity for top brands like Cue, Esprit, Country Road, Jag and Guess who were all in Myer to open their own stores in the new building if it ever gets off the ground.
Cue, for one, was operated independently of Myer and had its own staff, no doubt just paying Myer rent for the space.
If Orange people want designer brands stores, we can only hope the council or someone takes up the challenge to chase some of them and get the CBD rocking again.
The others were probably doing the same, so Myer was really five or six stores in one.
There’s also a long-shot opportunity for Orange to chase British retailer Debenhams, the second biggest chain in the UK that has 243 stores across 28 countries.
Debenhams has just opened its first store in Australia in St Collins Lane luxury retail centre in Mebourne.
The new concept store is much smaller than a Myer or David Jones but offers a select range of exclusive brands chosen specifically for us.
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It’s the first of 10 stand-alone Debenhams stores South African operator Pepkor plans to open here as part of a 15-year franchise agreement with the 240-year-old British retailer.
So if Orange people want designer brands stores, we can only hope the council or someone takes up the challenge to chase some of them and get the CBD rocking again.
That’s far better than tarting up the street.
BEANIED BOBBIES AND CAPPED COPPERS SEEMS FAIR ENOUGH
BEANIES and scarves have become a fashion item in Orange with -7-degree mornings, maximums as low as 6 degrees, and cold nights.
And with reports of women supermarket shopping in their PJs, everyone is rugging up as winter bites with a vengeance.
So would we care if police wore woollen beanies in winter rather than those Yankee baseball caps?
The cops are out all night in heavy frosts dealing with accidents, crooks, domestics and everything else that crops up so a beanie would be a valuable asset especially since body heat is lost through the head.
However, moves by police to wear beanies in most places have been hit on the head (pun intended) by chiefs who believe they would detract from the professional image of the service.
Rostered police were allowed to swap their blue hats for beanies to help raise awareness for brain cancer research to support the Mark Hughes Foundation during their shifts at the four Sydney games in Round 11.
Canberra police can wear beanies at night during winter months but only when they’re exposed to severe weather conditions for a long time when they’re at a crash site, remote location search or static point duty.
Beanies can’t be worn for normal response duties on formal or ceremonial occasions.
But police are not people who want to strut down the cat walk. They’re more concerned about keeping warm while working in our Arctic conditions.
So, it’s doubtful we’ll see our Orange cops in beanies even though it would be a welcome move to counter our freezing nights.
