David Jones Limited has just announced that Stage One of its new flagship Bourke Street CBD store will open in Melbourne on 28 November 2009. The company is claiming this new store will be a world class department store on par with Selfridges in London and Bloomingdales in New York.

According to the release issued to the ASX this morning the new Bourke Street store will have a portfolio of more than 1850 brands, including 746 iconic brands available on a department store exclusive basis. 80 new Australian and international brands not previously available will also be included.

David Jones CEO Mark McInnes said that he was very excited about the opening of the flagship store in time for Christmas.

“The timing of the opening of Stage One of our new Bourke Street store will cement our position as the leading Christmas gift giving retail destination in Melbourne,” he said.

“Not only will it bring to Melbourne an unprecedented portfolio of department store exclusive brands but also an additional 30 per cent selling space compared to this time last year, in a brand new contemporary environment.”

According to the company the new store will feature: Melbourne’s best footwear destination for women, Australia’s most desirable new accessories hall, a new world class cosmetics hall, a new intimate apparel floor and three new floors of menswear and men’s accessories.

“Completion of the final stage (Stage Two) of our new Bourke Street store is planned for mid 2010 and will deliver to the people of Melbourne, a pre-eminant department store on par with the world’s best, housing the broadest and best range of national and international brands all under one roof with direct access to Bourke Street Mall,” he said.

“Our company has tremendous growth opportunity in the Melbourne Metropolitan area. We have invested millions of dollars and engaged more than 2,000 construction workers to provide the people of Melbourne with the best gift giving destination in time for Christmas 2009.”