Welsh merchant David Jones opened his first store in Sydney in 1838.
Now the historic brand is set to break with tradition and move to new quarters.
David Jones will relocate its head office from Sydney to Melbourne.
The move is part of a broader relocation program by parent company Woolworths, which is moving its entire retail portfolio to a new head office in Richmond.
This includes Country Road, Trenery, Mimco, Witchery and David Jones.
David Jones' relocation will be a phased for completion by mid-2018.
The remaining brands will be relocated by the end of 2018, after the Country Road Group head office lease expires.
The head office team will comprise of 600 David Jones staff and 680 Country Road Group employees once complete.
Woolworths said Melbourne was selected after an evaluation of the local industry, long-term costs, development opportunities talent pool and proximity to other assets such as distribution facilities.