Some women know why there’s no other store like it. And it’s not for the reasons you think.

There is a lot of talk in the news about David Jones, our iconic department store established in 1838, going into voluntary administration. They simply can’t pay the bills.

We hear the reasons why retail is dying. We hear it was the wrong business model. We hear spending habits have changed. We hear service just “isn’t what it used to be”.

In the “isn’t what it used to be”, we hear what it was. We hear what iconic brands like David Jones mean to us. What it means to me.

The echoes of Gershwin from the piano.

The black and white houndstooth.

The Christmas windows.

The way too expensive cheese from the food hall.

The welcoming concierge at the glass doors.

The scent of roses from the Spring Flower Show.

But there’s a glass door and another rose hidden in the corner of level 4 just behind ladies lingerie.

The Rose Clinic is run by Breastscreen NSW. It’s a haven for women who cringe at the thought of going to a hospital or sterile environment for their annual screen.

The décor is pastel pink, the staff are kind, and while nothing can make up for the discomfort of having your girls flattened like a panini in a sandwich press, the Rose Clinic makes it a little less intimidating.

So when you’re shopping for Victoria’s Secret, you have a new secret.

This is why there’s no other store like it, except for the other David Jones stores that have a rose just like this one.

There are a lot of thorns in the side of retail right now, but I hope this rose will continue to bloom.

Note: I’m not getting any kickbacks from this article, I just think the Rose Clinic is special. A breast screen is free in NSW. But if David Jones are reading this, I wouldn’t mind some Simone Perele lingerie. I know that’s unlikely given…well, you know.

Main photo by Luke White on Unsplash.