"He’s got more front that John Martin’s!"
You don’t hear this classic South Australian phrase much these days. But like pie floaters, Magic Mountain, Humphrey B. Bear and Keith Martyn’s weather reports, the saying has become a p
iece of fondly remembered SA nostalgia.
But "more front that Johnnies" – referring to someone with a cheeky or brazen demeanour - was once entrenched in the common vernacular, and it points to just how important, and loved, this retail institution was.
Now South Australians are invited to relive the John Martin’s years through a new exhibition titled Meet Me At Johnnies.
Presented at Carrick Hill, the former home of Sir Edward "Bill" and Ursula Hayward until 31 October, the exhibition will celebrate the relationship between the Hayward family and the iconic department store.
For much of the twentieth century, John Martin's was more than a place to shop. It was a city landmark, a meeting place and
the backdrop to countless family traditions.
From Christmas shopping and fashion parades to opening a charge account and meeting friends in the city, Johnnies became woven into the social fabric of Adelaide.
Across four generations, members of the Hayward family held senior leadership roles within the business, helping guide the department store through decades of growth, innovation and changing consumer expectations.
The exhibition shines a spotlight on the Hayward family’s influence at John Martin’s, with a special focus on the iconic Christmas Pageant introduced by Sir Edward in 1933 as a morale booster during the Great Depression.
Visitors are invited to rediscover this era of shopping and how the store became synonymous with exceptional service, retail innovation and enduring community traditions that shaped generations of South Australians.
The South Australian Tourism Commission, with items from the Christmas Pageant Collection, the
State Library of South Australia, and a number of private lenders have worked together to help tell this uniquely South Australian story.
Carrick Hill Director Heather Croall AM said John Martin's "holds a special place in the memories of so many South Australians".
"This exhibition celebrates not only an iconic department store, but the people, traditions and entrepreneurial spirit that helped shape Adelaide's identity throughout the twentieth century," Ms Croall said.
"It is a wonderful example of how our cultural institutions continue to preserve and share the stories that connect us to our past."
For tickets visit the Carrick Hill website (external site).
