Working at David Jones was 'heaven on a stick' in its heyday

These days, walking around the David Jones store in Perth's city centre is a sad experience for former visual merchandiser Stephen Hunter.

His fondest memories of "the Terrace store" are full of extravagance; theatrical displays involving Rolls Royce cars and elaborate sets.

"I was recently at the city store, which is very close to my heart," he told ABC News Breakfast.

"There just isn't [enough] people to maintain the standards that David Jones once had."

For Gwen Sutton, working at David Jones's Sydney CBD store was "heaven on a stick" in the years following World War II.

Like Mr Hunter, recollections of working at the store also involve a Rolls Royce, which she said was owned by former chair Sir Charles Lloyd Jones.

"He'd be driven into the Elizabeth Street store's dock in his Rolls Royce," Ms Sutton said.

"He'd come in through the ground floor, go up the escalators to the offices with his beautiful Homburg hat on, and it's all just gorgeous, everything."

Retail careers with high standards

Mr Hunter and Ms Sutton recalled careers that started with strict and rigorous training.

"I was not allowed to speak to a customer unless the seniors were busy," Ms Sutton said.

"There was discipline, especially from my supervisor. There was no nonsense around Mr Roberts."

In WA, Mr Hunter remembered, "The training was amazing."

"I know I was one of two juniors with a senior and I didn't dress a window for six months," he said.

"I was just under training, which in this day and age is probably quite unheard of."

Extravagance and luxury

When he last visited the Perth city David Jones store, Mr Hunter saw screens playing ads in two of the store's four windows facing Murray Street.

It is a far cry from his "amazing time" at the store.

"It was a lot of theatre," he said. "Until 1978, we had 22 windows at the terrace store with fabulous promotions."

"That was probably one of the most exciting times. You would have the best of Britain and America or Italy on show."

Ms Sutton said her recent experience at David Jones's "empty" shoe department was vastly different from the standards expected when she was on the floor.

"It was personalised service, everything got wrapped and there was no rush" she said.

"You found the right lipstick for the right outfit, and the staff stayed with you while you tried it on to make sure it was the right fit and colour."

Mr Hunter said "conserving and cutting costs has a toll at the coalface".

"Lots of the displays are no longer maintained or initiated," he said.

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Uncertain future

David Jones entered voluntary administration yesterday and will continue to trade while administrators McGrathNichol and receivers FTI Consulting review operations.

A meeting for creditors will be held next week.

The union that represents retail workers, the Shop, Distributive and Allied (SDA) Employees Association, said its immediate focus was on keeping as many people in jobs as possible.