Smith & Caughey’s recently announced it would be closing its iconic Queen St store by the end of July, after 145 years in central Auckland.

The store’s “End of an Era Sale” began on Wednesday, attracting lines around the block, frenzied customers and hour-long queues.

After videos of retail chaos spread on social media, the business reminded customers to respect the store and its staff in a social media post.

“It was so packed I couldn’t even see what was available, the clothes were on the floor, and the makeup and skincare sections were insane,” a social media user said.

“The store was like carnage, everything was ripped to pieces,” another person said.

A “perfect storm of adversity”, including economic uncertainty, led to the decision to close the store.

“I probably came here the first time 70 years ago with my mother,” a woman waiting for the store to open today said.

Customers outside the store expressed their sadness at the closure and felt nostalgic about shopping with their family over the years at the department store.

“I’m quite sad about it, I’ve come here lots of times over the years, and it’s always good to come here with my mum, and we shop together,” a young Auckland customer said.

Shoppers have also faced increased parking costs, ongoing road works and the slow progress of the planned City Rail Link (CRL), according to the company.

Famous for its high-end goods and Christmas window displays, the store will close its doors for the final time by July 31.

“It’s so sad that it’s going, it’s an icon, isn’t it?” said a woman in the line, who said she grew up with department stores in England.

Smith & Caughey’s first announced a proposal to potentially close in May 2024, citing factors that created a “perfect storm”.

As well as the challenges it faced from new shopping malls and the lagging economy, many city workers are continuing to work from home post-Covid.

Smith & Caughey’s acting chief executive Matt Harray said it was a “heartbreaking decision”.

“We are acutely aware that this has been a difficult and uncertain time for our staff and today’s announcement is a deeply emotional one for all the team, our suppliers and our loyal customers,” said Harray.

A shopper checks out a coat on display in Smith & Caughey's closing-down sale. Photo / Jason Dorday

The closure of the store will result in 98 redundancies.

“Our intention has always been to address the business challenges so that Smith & Caughey’s can continue.

“Every attempt has been made to achieve this and every feasible option investigated, no stone left unturned.”

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.