Twenty-six employees will lose their jobs when Sam’s Warehouse at Dubbo shuts the doors for the final time on Sunday.
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The Dubbo store had avoided several rounds of closures announced by receivers KordaMentha but had pre-empted the decision, advertising a closing down sale since the Discount Super Group was placed in receivership a month ago.
However KordaMentha confirmed on Saturday the Dubbo store would close, along with 22 others in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, including Orange.
Of the 26 Dubbo staff, three were full-time, three worked part-time and there were 20 casuals.
Spokesman for KordaMentha Restructuring Michael Smith said the company had fallen victim to the “softer consumer sales being felt throughout the retail industry” and said the main goal now was to ensure workers got their entitlements.
Mr Smith is urging residents to get out and shop at Sam’s Warehouse at the next seven days to help employees.
“Once again, we are appealing to local communities to grab a bargain during the receiver’s sales in the days before the stores close.
“Discounts of up to 50 per cent will apply,” he said.
“The receivers need to sell as much stock as possible to raise cash to pay the entitlements of all employees.
“The receivers hope to be in a position to pay those entitlements - a total of $10 million - by the end of September. But this depends on stock sales.”
There were 143 Sam’s Warehouse and Crazy Clark’s stores in the DSG portfolio, which was owned by businesswoman Jan Cameron but the group had reportedly racked up millions in debts.
A total of 109 stores have now been slated to close and 1400 employees have lost their jobs.
It is unclear whether there will be more store closures but Mr Smith says there is more work to be done.
“Receivers are hoping to sell shops and stock and fittings to interested buyers who expressed interest after an advertising campaign.
“It is extremely unlikely there will be a buyer for a large part of the group,” he said.