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Timeline

From a single store nestled on the edge of the Reefton goldfields, Postie has journeyed from the dirt roads and green hills of the Coast into the hearts of New Zealanders everywhere. Let's celebrate 110 years together. Thx NZ!

The wedding of Thomas Arthur Dellaca and Leonora (Lena) Blight

The wedding of Thomas Arthur Dellaca and Leonora Blight

Early 1900s

After meeting Leonora Blight during a visit to his brother Harry at the Globe Hill mine, a young TA (Thomas Arthur) Dellaca packed up shop in Australia and moved to New Zealand, where he and Lena were married and he began work in the mine.

The Original TA Dellaca store at Globe Hill

The Original TA Dellaca store at Globe Hill

1909

After an uncle died and left Thomas £68, Thomas left the mining business and established TA Dellaca Drapery & Boots... the beginning of the retail empire that would end up as Postie Plus today.

1916

Fire destroyed the store and all its stock, but Thomas rebuilt the store and started again.

1919

When the Globe Hill mine shut down, the Dellaca family and the business moved to Reefton.

Percy Dellaca being wheeled down the street in Westport

Percy Dellaca being wheeled down the street in Westport

Late 1920s/ early 1930s

Tom Jr joined the family business as an apprentice and in 1928 and in the early 1930s Percy Dellaca (another son of Thomas) joined and they expanded into menswear and boyswear.

Dellacas in Westport

Dellacas in Westport

1946

Thanks to the success and expansion of the Reefton store during the '30s and early '40s, on November 6, 1946 Dellacas opened a second store in Westport, which soon expanded to include dress fabrics, furnishing, knitting, hosiery and ladieswear.

Two shop assistants working in the Reefton branch of Dellacas

Two shop assistants working in the Reefton branch of Dellacas

1960s

The 3rd generation of Dellaca family members started joining the business, with Richard and Bruce joining in early 1960 and Murray, John, Neil and Kerry following later in the '60s.

Dellacas in Greymouth

Dellacas in Greymouth

1979

A fashion-focused TA Dellaca branch opened in Greymouth with the promise from John Dellaca to "specialise in younger fashions, with lines to suit the more fashionable older woman." Later in the year Dellacas also opened a 'Drapery Discounter' in Greymouth.

Mail Order Warehouse newsprint catalogue

1982

The company decided to test the possibility of a mail-order business, a newsprint catalogue, called 'Mail Order Warehouse', was sent out to people who replied to an ad in the New Zealand Women's Weekly and New Zealand Farmer, requesting a catalogue.

colour catalogue was produced by Postie Fashions

1983

A small colour catalogue was produced by Postie Fashions, featuring fashionable garments with the younger customer in mind. A year later Postie Fashions and Mail Order Warehouse were receiving up to 600 orders per day from customers all over NZ and beyond.

Dellacas in the Westport warehouse

1991 - In the Westport warehouse. Jack Dellaca, Kerry Dellaca, Paul Archer, Richard Dellaca, Murray Dellaca and Neil Dellaca

1988

The Dellaca family opened the first Clothes for Less store on Palmerston Street in Westport, over the next few years a whole chain of Clothes for Less stores were opened across the West Coast.

Colour catalogue

1996

Clothes for Less stores were officially re-branded to Postie Plus stores.

2001

With the success of the physical retail stores, the mail order catalogue business was no longer needed and closed in 2001.

Colour catalogue

2002

With business booming in 2002, Babycity and Postie Plus were merged and the new look and theme stores were rolled out over the coming years.

Postie plus shopfront

2003

Postie purchased women's clothing chain Rendells and the manchester chain Arbuckles and in September 2003 the group was floated on the NZ Stock Exchange, becoming a publicly listed company.

2008

To better focus on the apparel side of the business, Arbuckles was sold in 2008 and in 2012 Baby City was sold.

2014

In July Postie Plus was purchased by Pepkor Limited, a major global retailer headquartered in South Africa.

2015

Pepkor became a member of the Steinhoff International Group, a South African-based international retail holding company, which operates in Europe, Africa and Australasia.

Cover of Postie plus in April 2016
2016

In April Postie relaunched with a new look and a new everyday low pricing model, meaning customers no longer need to choose between great quality and great prices — they can have both every day.

2018

Steinhoff South East Asia was renamed to become Greenlit Brands.

Postie Plus in 2019
2019

Postie now has 63 stores nationwide and employs over 420 people.