Myer unveils major makeover for Morley Galleria amid Wirth’s broader refresh for the department store giant

Myer has unveiled plans to revamp its Morley store in WA at the same time the retail giant announced it would shut a Sydney location. The retailer has been reviewing its network of 56 department stores as part a broader refresh under executive chair Olivia Wirth. A Myer spokesman on Tuesday revealed as part of this review, it would revamp its store at Morley Galleria — to which owner Vicinity Centres has committed a $350 million redevelopment — and close Roselands in south-west Sydney. Works to upgrade Myer Morley, which will see a new beauty hall and the arrival of new brands, will begin in May and are expected to be completed by the end of October. “The upgrade of the Myer Morley store is an exciting milestone for Galleria and reflects our shared long-term confidence in the local community that we serve,” Vicinity Centres chief Peter Huddle said. While he was tight-lipped about the cost of the makeover, the Myer spokesman said it was “substantially” investing in the Morley upgrade. At the same time, Myer said it had decided not to renew the lease of Roselands when it expires at the end of July. “Myer today announced an update to its store footprint as part of the transformation underway through the Myer group growth strategy,” the company spokesman said. “This is to ensure we have the right store network, which is efficient, sustainable and provides a firm foundation for growth.” It comes as Myer overhauls its fashion offerings to entice more younger shoppers. It has already launched its refreshed portfolio of exclusive brands — BLAQ, ThereAfter, Basque, Regatta and Grab — and revealed the arrival of British clothing giant Topshop this month. Speaking to The West Australian last month, Myer chief merchandise officer Belinda Slifkas said the company wanted to make the shopping experience and product offerings more relevant to a new customer base. “Through different data points and insights, especially our Myer One data, it was very evident that we were not resonating in our women’s assortment offer and particularly in that younger consumer,” she said at the time. Myer operates 56 department stores and more than 700 Apparel Brands stores, acquired from Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments, consisting of Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Dotti, Jacqui E and Portmans.