Harris Scarfe facts for kids
Harris Scarfe store in Wagga Wagga
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| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1849 |
| Founders | George Peter Harris and George Scarfe |
| Headquarters |
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Australia
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Number of locations
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60 stores (2025) |
| Products | Bed linen, homewares, kitchenware, manchester, electrical goods, kitchen appliances, women's and men's apparel, intimates, footwear and luggage |
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Number of employees
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1,200 (2020) |
| Parent | Spotlight Group since April 2020 |
Harris Scarfe is an Australian store that sells many different things for your home and clothes for people. You can find bed sheets, kitchen items, home decorations, and clothes for men and women there. It started in 1849 in Adelaide, South Australia. Today, Harris Scarfe has more than 50 stores across Australia.
In 2015, Harris Scarfe became part of a bigger company called Steinhoff Asia Pacific. Later, in 2019, another company called Allegro Funds bought Harris Scarfe. However, Harris Scarfe soon faced problems. In April 2020, the Spotlight Group bought the business, helping it to continue operating.
A Look Back: Harris Scarfe's Story
How It All Began
Harris Scarfe started a long time ago, on February 10, 1849. Two men, George Peter Harris and John C. Lanyon, arrived in Adelaide, South Australia. They opened a business on Hindley Street that sold hardware and metal goods.
Later, in 1866, two new partners, George Scarfe and Richard Smith, joined the company. That's when the name "Geo. P. Harris, Scarfe & Co." was first used. The business grew and became a big supplier of many items. These included things for homes, farms, and factories. Harris Scarfe also made leather goods like saddles and bags.
Rainbow Bicycles
Harris Scarfe even sold bicycles called "Rainbow" bikes. Most of these bikes were made in South Australia by Harris Scarfe itself. They were sold in stores in South Australia and also in Western Australia through a partnership. In the 1930s and 1940s, these bikes were popular. Some riders even used Rainbow bikes for long journeys or in races.
Changes in the 1970s and 1980s
In 1971, Harris Scarfe was bought by another company. Then, in 1976, a company from Tasmania called Charles Davis took control. The new owner, Donald Trescowthick, decided to focus Harris Scarfe on being a full department store. This meant it would sell a wide variety of goods, like a big shopping center.
Harris Scarfe also had a large hardware store. This part of the business grew and led to the parent company buying other hardware stores. However, in 1989, these hardware businesses were sold. They later became part of Bunnings.
Growing Across Australia in the 1990s
The 1990s were a time of big growth for Harris Scarfe. It expanded beyond its main store in Rundle Mall and opened smaller stores in suburbs and other towns. Harris Scarfe also took over stores from other retailers like David Jones and Myer.
By 1995, Harris Scarfe had become Australia's third-largest department store chain. It had 38 stores and was operating in every state of Australia. However, towards the end of the 1990s, the company faced some financial challenges.
The 2000s: Ups and Downs
In 2001, Harris Scarfe faced serious financial difficulties. The company then started a plan to improve things. They updated their stores, brought in new products, and changed their look. This helped Harris Scarfe to grow again.
In 2007, a company called Momentum Private Equity bought a large part of Harris Scarfe. During this time, Harris Scarfe was investigated by the Australian consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC looked into Harris Scarfe's advertisements. They found that some ads might have made people think they were getting bigger discounts than they actually were. Harris Scarfe admitted that some of its advertising could have been misleading. The Federal Court later confirmed that Harris Scarfe had misled customers with its advertised discounts.
The 2010s: New Owners and Challenges
In 2012, Harris Scarfe was sold to Pepkor, a company from South Africa. Then, in 2014, another company called Steinhoff Asia Pacific bought Pepkor, which included Harris Scarfe.
Harris Scarfe also worked with famous people to promote its products. For example, in 2012, Kyly Clarke became the face of their fashion brand. In 2013, they launched a collection with designer Vera Wang. In 2017, they teamed up with interior designer Shaynna Blaze.
In 2015, some of Harris Scarfe's "Bulls Head" jeans were found to have certain dyes that were not safe. The jeans were recalled from stores.
In December 2019, Harris Scarfe was sold again, this time to an Australian company called Allegro Funds. Soon after, Harris Scarfe faced big problems and went into a process called voluntary administration. This meant that experts took over managing the business to try and fix its financial issues. At that time, Harris Scarfe had 66 stores and about 1800 staff.
The 2020s: A New Chapter
In January 2020, Harris Scarfe announced it would close 21 of its stores. This meant about 440 jobs were lost. The remaining 44 stores continued to operate.
On March 3, 2020, it was announced that the Spotlight Group would buy the remaining Harris Scarfe stores. This sale was completed in April 2020. Even after the sale, Harris Scarfe faced more challenges, including some staff being let go.
In July 2020, it was found that a union had not filed unfair dismissal claims for some former Harris Scarfe employees in time. This caused problems for those workers. Despite having a good year in sales after being bought by Spotlight, Harris Scarfe still had debts to its suppliers in 2021.
Store Types
Harris Scarfe has two main types of stores:
- Harris Scarfe lifestyle and homewares stores sell a full range of products. These include bed linen, items for your kitchen and home, clothes, electrical appliances, and travel goods. There are currently 52 of these stores across Australia.
- Harris Scarfe Home stores focus more on items for the home. They sell bed linen, kitchenware, electrical goods, and bathroom items. There are currently 11 Harris Scarfe Home stores.
What You Can Buy at Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe stores offer a wide variety of products for your home and wardrobe:
- Bed Linen & Manchester - This includes bed sheets, quilts, quilt covers, pillows, and electric blankets.
- Bathroom Towels & Accessories - You can find bath towels, bath mats, bath robes, and bathroom storage items here.
- Home Decor - This section has cushions, throws, clocks, vases, lamps, and wall art to decorate your home.
- Kitchenware and Cookware - Here you'll find cook sets, fry pans, bakeware, kitchen knives, and cooking tools.
- Tableware - This includes dinner sets, cutlery sets, glassware, and items for your dining table.
- Kitchen Appliances - You can buy air fryers, slow cookers, coffee machines, kettles, toasters, and microwave ovens.
- Home Electrical Appliances - This section has vacuum cleaners, steam mops, irons, heaters, and fans.
- Personal Care & Bathroom Electrical Appliances - Look for hairdryers, hair straighteners, and electric shavers here.
- Women’s Clothing & Apparel - This includes womenswear, underwear, bras, footwear, and nightwear.
- Men’s Clothing & Apparel - You can find menswear, underwear, footwear, and nightwear.
- Travel Goods - This section offers luggage and other travel accessories.
Special Brands You'll Find
Harris Scarfe also has its own special brands and collections made with designers:
- Smith + Nobel — This is Harris Scarfe's own affordable home brand.
- Miguel Maestre - A celebrity-style collection within Smith + Nobel.
- Jayson Brunsdon - Clothes, bed linen, and homewares.
- Jane Lamerton - Clothes, bed linen, and homewares.
- Chyka - Clothes, bed linen, and homewares.
- Shayna Blaze — A collection of homewares from Australian designer Shaynna Blaze.
- MOZI — Homewares designed in Australia.
See also
- Department stores around the world
