Milne & Choyce

{{Short description|New Zealand department store chain}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox company | image = File:Milne & Choyce building on Queen Street, Auckland, April 1913.jpg | image_caption = The Milne & Choyce building on Queen Street, Auckland, in April 1913. | industry = Retail | genre = Department stores | founded = {{Start date and age|1867|07|01}} in Auckland, New Zealand | founder = {{plain list| * Charlotte Milne * Mary Milne }} | defunct = {{End date|1992}} | hq_location = Auckland, New Zealand }}

thumb|Milne & Choyce paper shopping bag displaying logo (circa 1960s).

'''Milne & Choyce''', later trading as '''Milnes''' was a New Zealand luxury department store chain founded in 1867 and operating until at least 1992. At its peak Milne & Choyce operated at least seven branch stores around the North Island of New Zealand, alongside a Queen Street flagship.

== History == On 3 July 1867, Mary Jane and Charlotte Milne took over the drapery shop of Mr and Mrs Wison at on the corner of Wyndham Street and Albert Street.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |title=Milne & Choyce |url=http://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/milne-choyce/ |access-date=11 November 2025 |website=New Zealand Fashion Museum}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Regnault |first=Claire |title=Dressed : fashionable dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910 |date=2021 |publisher=Te Papa Press |isbn=978-0-9941460-6-9 |location=Wellington, New Zealand |pages=87–90 |oclc=1245592939}}</ref> The business was renamed Misses Milne.<ref name=":1" />

In July 1874, the Misses Milne acquired the drapery shop of Mr. B. Cass within Cheapside House, on the corner of Queen Street and Wellesley Street.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=16 July 1874 |title=Genuine Sale of Drapery, Millinery, and Hosiery |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18740716.2.20.2? |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=Auckland Star |page=4}}</ref> The original business on the corner of Wyndham Street and Albert Street continued to operate until operations were consolidated at Cheapside House in August.<ref name=":6" /> Sometime between this relocation and 1875 the business was renamed to M. & C. Milne.

In 1876, Charlotte Milne's husband Henry Charles Choyce took over her share in the company, and the business was renamed to Milne & Choyce.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Tucker |first=K. A. |title=Milne and Choyce: A One Hundred Year Business History, 1867-1967. |publisher=Milne and Choyce |year=1968}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> In September 1876, a fire occurred in the photography salon of John McGarrigle above Milne & Choyce's upstairs storeroom and destroyed much of the stores stock.<ref name=":5" />

Milne & Choyce hosted a spring fashion parade in 1887, one of the first in Auckland.<ref name=":1" />

In 1901, Milne & Choyce went public, and became Milne & Choyce Ltd., Henry Choyce served as managing director.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Mary Jane Milne - Businesswoman, Retailer and Co-founder of Milne and Choyce |url=https://remueraheritage.org.nz/story/mary-jane-milne-businesswoman-retailer-and-co-founder-of-milne-and-choyce/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=Remuera Heritage |language=en-GB}}</ref>

131 Queen Street was purchased in 1908 for £50,000.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=8 September 1908 |title=£50,000 for a city site |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TH19080908.2.9.10? |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=Taranaki Herald |page=2}}</ref> Milne & Choyce would now be situated "between the banks [<nowiki/>Bank of New South Wales, Bank of New Zealand]".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> The company would relocate to 131 Queen Street store on 6 September 1909.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 August 1909 |title=A Big Business Move |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19090830.2.92.3? |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=Auckland Star |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 September 1909 |title=Milne & Choyce's new premises |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19090906.2.58.5 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The New Zealand Herald |page=5}}</ref>

Mary Jane Milne retired at the age of seventy in 1909, though remained involved in the business until her death in 1921.<ref name=":5" />

In 1923, the wooden premises were replaced by with a nine floor building (seven above ground), designed by Llewellyn Piper. The new store had six lifts, fire alarms, a private telephone exchange, and a workroom to produce custom-order garments and in-house labels.<ref name=":1" />

Milne & Choyce purchased the Hooker & Kingston drapery of Hamilton in July 1950, it traded as Milne & Choyce from August 1950.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |date=28 July 1950 |title=Company News |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19500728.2.117 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=8}}</ref>

In January 1959, it was announced that Milne & Choyce and D.I.C. would now be associated for future merchandising and purchasing activities, to be coordinated through a shared buying office in Wellington.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |date=27 January 1959 |title=Department Stores Link |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19590127.2.187 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=19}}</ref> At the time Milne & Choyce had stores in Auckland (Central, Mount Roskill, Takapuna), Hamilton, and D.I.C. had stores in Christchurch, Dunedin, Lower Hutt, Wellington, and Whanganui.<ref name=":9" />

The C.M. Ross & Co. department store of Palmerston North was purchased in September 1959 for £219,375.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 1959 |title=Milne & Choyce move |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19590623.2.175 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=19}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite news |date=14 September 1959 |title=£219,375 Deal By Milne And Choyce |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19590914.2.193 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=16}}</ref> The store would be rebranded as Milne & Choyce and remain in operation until 1966.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Milne and Choyce department store |url=https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/7cb14599-da32-4dec-994f-bee368419f31 |access-date=4 November 2022 |website=Manawatū Heritage |language=en}}</ref> In 1966 the store was sold to D.I.C., in 1989 it was rebranded to Arthur Barnett.<ref name=":11" /> Arthur Barnett would close in 1992 and since 1996 the building has been home to the Palmerston North City Library.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthur Barnett Department Store |url=https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/4d7b59eb-bbf3-456d-9e6e-c32414de95e3 |access-date=11 November 2025 |website=Manawatū Heritage}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Palmerston North City Library |url=https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/a99b08e9-927d-4aba-8504-816c2f19d8a6 |access-date=4 November 2022 |website=Manawatū Heritage |language=en}}</ref>

In September 1960, a branch store opened in Takapuna.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Milne and Choyce Limited, Auckland, Takapuna |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/30856367?search%5Bi%5D%5Bcentury%5D=1900&search%5Bi%5D%5Bsubject%5D=Auckland+history&search%5Bpath%5D=items |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=natlib.govt.nz}}</ref>

In 1961, Milne & Choyce, Farmers, and Woolworths, entered into an agreement to purchase a plot of land in the Auckland suburb of New Lynn and develop New Zealand's first shopping centre.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 December 1962 |title=£1m Shopping Centre For New Lynn |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19621205.2.148 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=17}}</ref> The shopping centre opened on 30 October 1963 as LynnMall.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Laurenson |first=Helen |title=Department Stores and Shopping Malls |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/department-stores-and-shopping-malls/print}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Day |first=Simon |date=2013-10-19 |title=Fifty years of the shopping mall |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/ipad-editors-picks/9294196/Fifty-years-of-the-shopping-mall |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>

In 1965, a branch store opened in Remuera. It was the largest suburban store of the company to date and featured a coffee bar that overlooked Hobson Bay alongside a self service food hall. One floor showed on Remuera Road but the store was actually three floors with a basement for storage and a rooftop carpark which could fit 60 cars.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Henry Choyce |url=https://remueraheritage.org.nz/story/henry-choyce/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=Remuera Heritage |language=en-GB}}</ref> A Panmure branch store was opened around the same time.

In October 1971, a branch store opened at Māngere Town Centre.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |date=1971-10-12 |title=12 October 1971 |url=https://digitalnz.org/records/41784734 |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=DigitalNZ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Freer |first=Murray |date=1971-01-01 |title=Finishing touches, Māngere, 1971 |url=https://digitalnz.org/records/41722378 |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=DigitalNZ |language=en}}</ref> Milne & Choyce also purchased land in Howick for a new store.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 November 1971 |title=Milne Choyce calls in consultants |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19711112.2.170.1 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=18}}</ref>

In 1973, Fletcher purchased a 31.25% stake in the company. Also in 1973 rival department store George Court & Sons. and Atlas-Majestic Industries attempted take-over bids of Milne & Choyce.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Milnes George Courts bid |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730221.2.94?end_date=31-12-1979&items_per_page=10&query=milnes&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1970 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Atlas does not bid for Milnes |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750703.2.161?end_date=31-12-1979&items_per_page=10&query=milnes&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1970 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref>

On 28 February 1975, 131 Queen Street store closed and was relocated to the Downtown Shopping Centre.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lime works fatality |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750303.2.21?end_date=31-12-1979&items_per_page=10&query=Milne+&+Choyce+&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1975 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref> At this point, the company changed its name from Milne & Choyce to Milnes. The original 131 Queen Street flagship would become the Centrecourt Shopping Centre in 1986, Centrecourt would close around 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=131 Queen Street {{!}} Auckland History Initiative |url=https://ahi.auckland.ac.nz/2025/04/23/131-queen-street/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Following the closure of Centrecourt the building was renovated for offices and retail.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Denizen |first=The |date=2024-03-19 |title=We take you inside 131 Queen Street — Downtown's vibrant new office space and hospitality precinct |url=https://www.thedenizen.co.nz/design/we-take-you-inside-131-queen-street-downtowns-vibrant-new-office-space-and-hospitality-precinct/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=Denizen |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2025, it was announced that Faradays department store would open its flagship store in the building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Faradays To Open 3-Level Luxury Department Store In Auckland's CBD |url=https://www.mindfood.com/article/faradays-to-open-3-level-luxury-department-store-in-auckland-cbd/ |access-date=2025-11-09 |website=MiNDFOOD |language=en-AU}}</ref>

Fletcher attempted a take-over bid of Milnes in May 1975.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 May 1975 |title=Fletchers believed to be behind Milnes bid |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750527.2.180 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=22}}</ref> In January 1976, Haywrights took over Milnes and stores were rebranded to Haywrights.<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |date=27 December 1976 |title=Haywrights to sell 4 Auckland stores |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19761227.2.41 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=4}}</ref> In December 1976 four stores (Mount Roskill, Pakuranga, Northcote, and Papatoetoe) were sold.<ref name=":14" />

The Haywrights Downtown Shopping Centre flagship store closed in August 1979 as the company exited the North Island and retreated back to the South Island.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Haywrights closes Auckland Downtown shopping centre |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19790815.2.107.4?end_date=31-12-1979&items_per_page=10&query=Haywrights+Downtown&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1931 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}}</ref>

Due to unknown circumstances the Milnes store in Remuera continued to operate following the Haywrights rebranding and North Island exit. The company was known as Milnes of Auckland/Milnes Group and had three stores around Auckland (Remuera, 151 Queen Street, and Glenn Innes).

In March 1989, Milnes entered receivership and began seeking a buyer in April.<ref name=":15">{{Cite news |date=4 April 1989 |title=Auckland store in receivership |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19890404.2.35 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 April 1989 |title=Buyers sought for store |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19890422.2.108.26 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=30}}</ref> In May 1989, the Queen Street store (closed since April) began a receivership sale in attempts to save the Remuera store.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 May 1989 |title=Briefs: Receivership sale |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19890519.2.102.12 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=16}}</ref><ref name=":15" /> The Remuera store was sold in late November 1989 and would continue trading as a speciality department store.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 November 1989 |title=Chain’s Remuera outlet sold as going concern |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19891127.2.115.4 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=41}}</ref> Milnes Remuera continued trading until at least 1992.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 June 1992 |title=Winfield International Soccer |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19920603.2.147.1 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=38}}</ref>

== Store locations and opening timeline == {| class="wikitable sortable sort-under" cellpadding="2" style="border-collapse:collapse;font-size:smaller;" !Metropolitan area ("metro") !Suburb or Neighborhood !Name/Location/Notes !Size ! style="max-width:50px" |Opened !Closed |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Auckland Central |'''Misses Milne''' Located at 37 Wyndham Street, corner of Albert Street. | |3 July 1867<ref name=":1" /> |16 August 1874<ref name=":6" /> |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Auckland Central |'''Milne & Choyce Queen Street''' Located at Cheapside House, corner of Queen Street & Wellesley Street. | |July 1874 |1909 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Auckland Central |'''Milne & Choyce Queen Street''' Located at 131 Queen Street. | |6 September 1909 |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Hamilton |Hamilton Central |'''Milne & Choyce Hamilton''' Located at 231 Victoria Street. | |21 August 1950<ref name=":8" /> |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Palmerston North |Palmerston North Central |'''Milne & Choyce Palmerston North''' Located at 4 The Square. | |September 1959<ref name=":10" /> |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Takapuna |'''Milne & Choyce Takapuna''' Located on Hurstmere Road. | |12 September 1960<ref name=":12" /> |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |New Lynn |'''Milne & Choyce New Lynn''' Located at LynnMall. | |30 October 1963 |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Remuera |'''Milne & Choyce Remuera''' Located on Remuera Road. | |1965 |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Māngere |'''Milne & Choyce Mangere''' Located at Māngere Town Centre. |{{convert|16000|sqft|sqm|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 October 1970 |title=Commercial News in Brief: Milne, Choyce |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19701030.2.166 |access-date=11 November 2025 |work=The Press |page=21}}</ref> |12 October 1971<ref name=":13" /> |1976 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Remuera |'''Milnes of Remuera''' Located on Remuera Road. | | |~1992 |- style="background:#FAE6F2;vertical-align:top" |Auckland |Auckland Central |'''Milnes''' Located at 151 Queen Street. | | |1989 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milne and Choyce}} Category:Department stores of New Zealand Category:Companies based in Auckland Category:Auckland CBD Category:Retail companies established in 1867 Category:New Zealand companies established in 1867 Category:Defunct retail companies of New Zealand