Editing James Richardson Corporation

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{{About|the Australian company|the Canadian company|James Richardson & Sons}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = James Richardson Group
|logo             = 
|type             = 
|genre            = 
|founded          = 1892 (early company)<br/>1955 (merger to form current company)
|founders         = Jimmy Richardson (early company)<br/>David Mandie (modern company)
|location_city    = [[Abbotsford, Victoria|Abbotsford]]
|location_country = [[Australia]]
|location         =   <!--modifies "Headquarters" entry-->
|origins          = 
|key_people       = Evelyn Danos ([[Chairman of the Board|Executive Chairman]])<br/>Milton Lasnitzki ([[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]])<br/>Garry Stock (Duty Free Chairman)
|areas_served     = [[Australasia]], [[Middle East]]
|industry         = [[Furniture]]<br/>[[Real estate]]<br/>[[Duty Free|Duty-free retail]]
|products         = 
|services         =
|revenue          = 
|operating_income = 
|net_income       = 
|num_employees    = 2,300
|parent           = 
|divisions        =
|subsid           = 
|owner            = 
|slogan           = 
|homepage         = http://www.jamesrichardson.com.au/
|dissolved        = 
|footnotes        = 
}}

The '''James Richardson Corporation''', also going by the name '''James Richardson Group''' or '''JR/Group''', is an [[Australia|Australian]] [[furniture]], [[hospitality industry|hospitality]], [[real estate]] and [[retail]] [[corporation]], headquartered in the [[Abbotsford, Victoria|Abbotsford]] suburb of [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]]. It is privately owned and employs approximately 2,300 people worldwide. It is perhaps best known among consumers for its [[duty-free store|duty-free retail stores]] in [[airport]]s and [[border crossing]]s in [[Australasia]] and the [[Middle East]]. The company is a [[Brand awareness|household name]] in [[Israel]] due to its duty-free stores in Terminal 3 of [[Ben Gurion Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bdicode.co.il/CompanyTextProfile_ENG/441_1184_0/James%20Richardson%20PTY%20Ltd |title=James Richardson PTY Ltd. |website=BDI Code |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519112055/http://www.bdicode.co.il/CompanyTextProfile_ENG/441_1184_0/James%20Richardson%20PTY%20Ltd |archivedate=2015-05-19 }}</ref>

==History==

Scottish-born James Richardson (c. 1864–1951) immigrated from [[Ayrshire]] to New South Wales in 1886 and worked at the Wentworth Hotel, Sydney before relocating to Melbourne as a barman at [[Hotel Windsor (Melbourne)|Hotel Windsor]].<ref name="Roberts">{{cite web | url = http://timegents.com/2015/06/14/hotel-useful-at-21-dies-worth-millions/index.html | archive-url = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20150708032900/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/152854/20150708-1329/timegents.com/2015/06/14/hotel-useful-at-21-dies-worth-millions/index.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 8 July 2015 | title = Hotel useful at 21, dies worth millions | last = | first = | editor = Mick Roberts | work = Time Gents: Australian Pub History & Culture | publisher = | date = 14 June 2015 | accessdate = 16 July 2018 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="Age Aug51">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205339389 | title = Mr. J. Richardson, Hotel Owner, Dies | newspaper = [[The Age]] | issue = 30,043 | date = 13 August 1951 | accessdate = 16 July 2018 | page = 3 | via = [[National Library of Australia]]}}</ref> By July 1916 Richardson was the proprietor of two wine and spirits stores in Melbourne.<ref name="Argus Jul16">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1602311 | title = Price of Spirits | newspaper = [[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] | issue = 21,824 | date = 8 July 1916 | accessdate = 15 July 2018 | page = 17 | via = National Library of Australia }}</ref> In 1928 he commissioned the building of the Hotel Alexander, which became the seventh in his hotel chain and along with his four wine and spirit shops made him "the biggest figure in Australia's hotel trade."<ref name="Argus Aug51">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23057160 | title = Hotel useful at 21, he dies worth millions | newspaper = The Argus | issue = 32,743 | date = 13 August 1951 | accessdate = 16 July 2018 | page = 1 | via = National Library of Australia }}</ref> He sold off five hotels in 1944 and when he died in August 1951 he was "worth approximately £2 million."<ref name="Argus Aug51"/>

==Duty-free retail==

===Australia and New Zealand===
Eight duty-free stores in [[Australia]] and three in [[New Zealand]] operate under the trade name ''JR/Duty Free''. Seven are located inside [[international airports]] and four in major [[city centre]]s.

James Richardson first began duty-free retailing in Australia in 1972, opening a single store at [[Brisbane Airport]]. The company expanded over the next two decades, opening further duty-free stores in [[Sydney Airport]], [[Melbourne Airport]], [[Perth Airport]] and [[Cairns Airport]], and twenty-three stores in all major city centres.<ref name="jr1">{{cite web |title=James Richardson Group Corporate Profile |url=http://www.jamesrichardson.com.au/about-us/corporate.aspx |website=James Richardson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526035132/http://www.jamesrichardson.com.au/about-us/corporate.aspx |archive-date=26 May 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The company sold this entire operation to [[Swissair]] in 1995,<ref name="jr1" /> choosing instead to concentrate on the furniture and textiles business and the company's Israeli duty-free retail operation.

Ten years later, the company, this time trading under its current trade name, ''JR/Duty Free'', again reentered the Australian market, opening city centre duty-free stores in [[Melbourne]], [[Perth]], [[Adelaide]], and later [[Brisbane]], and winning a ten-year concession to operate at [[Darwin Airport]] from February 2007.<ref name="jr1" />

In 2009, ''JR/Duty Free'' was awarded one of the available duty-free concessions in [[Auckland Airport]] in New Zealand,<ref>{{cite press release|title=Auckland Airport selects James Richardson as its preferred second duty free operator |url=http://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/Corporate/NewsAndMedia/AllMediaReleases/Auckland-Airport-selects-second-duty-free-operator.aspx |publisher=Auckland Airport |date=18 February 2009 |access-date=27 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527190010/http://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/Corporate/NewsAndMedia/AllMediaReleases/Auckland-Airport-selects-second-duty-free-operator.aspx |archivedate=27 May 2015 }}</ref> and purchased the duty-free concession at [[Wellington International Airport]] from a rival firm.<ref name="jr1" /> Both operations commenced in July of that year, and in 2010, another store opened in [[Christchurch International Airport]].<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=New Operators at Christchurch Airport for Foreign Exchange, Duty Free, and Food and Beverage |url=http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/content/1838/Changes%20at%20Christchurch%20Airport%20for%20foreign%20exchange%20duty%20free%20and%20food%20and%20beverage%20July%206%202010.pdf |publisher=Christchurch International Airport |date=6 May 2010| url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806212719/http://www.christchurchairport.co.nz/content/1838/Changes%20at%20Christchurch%20Airport%20for%20foreign%20exchange%20duty%20free%20and%20food%20and%20beverage%20July%206%202010.pdf |archive-date=6 August 2010}}</ref>

Over the last few years, ''JR/Duty Free'' has continued to expand, reopening stores in Cairns Airport in March 2012,<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Cairns Airport Welcomes JR/Duty Free |url=http://www.cairnsairport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns_Airport_welcomes_JR-Duty_Free.pdf |publisher=Cairns Airport Pty |date=29 February 2012 |access-date=27 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330153358/http://www.cairnsairport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns_Airport_welcomes_JR-Duty_Free.pdf |archivedate=30 March 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=New walk-through duty free store opens at Cairns Airport |author=Martin Moodie |url=http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=6&doc_id=29473 |website=The Moodie Report |date=16 December 2011 |accessdate=19 May 2015}}</ref> Perth Airport in November 2013,<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=JR / Duty Free Open for Business |url=http://www.perthairport.com.au/aboutus/mediacentre/mediareleases/13-11-01/JR_DUTY_FREE_OPEN_FOR_BUSINESS.aspx |publisher=Perth Airport Pty |date=1 November 2013 |access-date=27 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=JR Duty Free begins trading at Perth, opens new Arrivals shop |author=Dermot Davitt |url=http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=6&doc_id=37242 |website=The Moodie Report |date=1 November 2013 |accessdate=19 May 2015}}</ref> and most recently, Brisbane Airport in September 2014.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=JR/Duty Free opens its doors at BNE International |url=http://www.bne.com.au/news/jrduty-free-opens-its-doors-bne-international |publisher=Brisbane Airport Corporation |date=2 September 2014 |access-date=27 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=JR/Duty Free officially opens new Brisbane Airport Departures store |author=Peter Dowling |url=http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=6&doc_id=42015 |website=The Moodie Report |date=16 December 2014 |accessdate=19 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521045716/http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=6&doc_id=42015 |archivedate=21 May 2015 }}</ref>

===Israel===
[[File:Duty Free shop - Ben Gurion Airport.jpg|thumb|256px|''James Richardson Duty Free'' store in the airside rotunda of Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 3, Israel, May 2006]]
In 1987, the [[Israel Airports Authority]] issued a [[Request for tender|tender]] for a total area of more than 1,000&nbsp;square metres (of retail space) (at Ben Gurion Airport). Five companies bid for the tender and James Richardson was the winner.<ref name="almog">{{cite web |title=נמל התעופה והדיוטי פרי בישראל |author=Oz Almog |url=http://www.peopleil.org/details.aspx?itemID=7856 |language=he |trans-title=Airports and Duty-free in Israel |date=13 April 2009}}</ref>

The company stores in Israel officially opened on 14 November 1988. The company has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars (into the venture), including a new store with an 800-square metre [[cosmetics]] and [[perfume]] area, a 300-square metre [[consumer electronics]] area, a 150-square metre [[watch]] store and a 150-square metre [[fashion]] area.<ref name="almog" />

Turnover has increased continuously since the start of operations. Total sales in the first year were about 20 [[million]] [[US dollars]], while in recent years{{when|date=May 2015}} the total sales in Israel today is over 400 million: an increase of about 2,000% in 20 years.<ref name="dutyfree">{{cite web |url=http://www.dutyfree.co.il/?___store=en |title=Duty Free James Richardson |website=JR/Duty Free}}</ref>

There are now eight James Richardson duty-free stores in Terminal 3 of Ben-Gurion Airport. In addition, James Richardson operates duty-free stores at the [[Allenby Bridge]] border crossing with [[Jordan]], the [[Taba Border Crossing]] with [[Egypt]], and operates at the ports of [[Port of Haifa|Haifa]] and [[Port of Ashdod|Ashdod]] - including providing supplies for ships crews, and warehouses for supplies for [[UN forces]] and [[diplomat]]s.<ref name="ynet">{{cite web |title=ג'יימס ריצ'רדסון זכתה במכרז הקוסמטיקה בנתב"ג |author=Orna Yafet |url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-2837425,00.html |website=ynet |language=he |trans-title=James Richardson wins cosmetics tender in Ben Gurion Airport |date=11 December 2003}}</ref>

The company also operates a store in [[Haifa Airport]], in [[cruise ship]]s of the Israeli [[cruise line]] [[Mano Maritime|Mano]], and the [[Airline service trolley|duty-free carts]] on [[Arkia]] and [[Israir]] flights.<ref name="ynet" />{{update inline|reason=The source for this is from 2003. How much of this is still so?|?=yes|date=May 2015}}

In 1989, James Richardson pioneered a shopping storage and pickup service, which led to increased sales and was subsequently adopted by the company in its other stores in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name="dutyfree" /> The service was the brainchild of Ze'ev Sarig, then responsible for security at Ben Gurion Airport (and later became its managing director). The idea came to him after buying a bottle of [[whiskey]] on his way abroad. The service allows passengers to make duty-free purchases before leaving the country, store them at the airport, and receive them upon their return. The service was first implemented in August 1989, and within two months it had already been used by some 8,000 passengers.<ref name="almog" />

===Other===
James Richardson has an interest in ''Tahiti Duty Free'' located within [[Fa'a'ā International Airport]] in [[Tahiti]].{{Cn|date=September 2015}}

==See also==
* [[List of duty-free shops]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jamesrichardson.com.au/ Company Website]
*[http://www.jrdutyfree.com.au/ ''JR/Duty Free'' Australia]
*[http://www.jrdutyfree.co.nz/ ''JR/Duty Free'' New Zealand]
*[http://www.dutyfree.co.il/ ''JR/Duty Free'' Israel]

[[Category:Retail companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Retail companies of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Retail companies of Israel]]
[[Category:Duty-free shops]]