FitzGerald's was Tasmania's largest chain of department stores. The chain was rebranded and relaunched as Harris Scarfe in 1995, and the renamed stores continue to trade today.
History
FitzGerald's was founded in March 1886, when George Parker FitzGerald—one of the early scholars of Hutchins School—established a wholesale business at 79 Collins Street, Hobart (later occupied by W. Coogan & Sons, now called Coogans).[1] The original store was completely destroyed by fire in July 1911,[2] and was rebuilt within eight months,[3] with the new store opening on 21 March 1912.[4]
FitzGerald's was a Tasmanian majority family owned department store business until it was acquired by