Wikipedia
D.I.C. (department store)
The D.I.C. (originally the Drapery and General Importing Company of New Zealand Ltd) was a New Zealand department store chain, founded in Dunedin by Bendix Hallenstein in 1884.
It was bought out by one of its chief rivals, Arthur Barnett, in the 1980s. The site of the company's former headquarters and flagship store is now occupied by the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
Prior to its takeover by Arthur Barnett, the D.I.C had stores in the following locations. Unless stated, they were rebranded as Arthur Barnett/D.I.C. eventually closing in 1991:
- Dunedin, corner of The Octagon and Princes Street (original store - closed in 1991)
- Invercargill (rebranded Arthur Barnett, then Farmers Trading Company)
- Christchurch, Cashel Street (opened in 1885, burned down in 1908 and rebuilt, merged with Beath's department store in 1978 in shifted into their premises, rebranded Arthur Barnett/D.I.C, then again as Arthur Barnett, and closed in 2005)
- Wellington, Lambton Quay (building now owned by Kirkcaldie & Stains, the store houses several K&S departments)
- Palmerston North (former Milne & Choyce store and now the Palmerston North City Library)
- Wanganui
- Hamilton - converted to the Central Library in Garden Place, which opened on 20 March 1993
- Napier
- Lower Hutt
- Rotorua
- Pakuranga
- Takapuna
- Central Auckland (formerly George Court & Sons)