OVERVIEW

Type Industry Genre Founded Founder(s)

Subsidiary Retail Department Store 1864 John Lewis

Headquarters London, United Kingdom Key people John Lewis & John Spedan Lewis 2,417.4 million (2010) John Lewis Partnership 27,200 (2010) John Lewis Partnership johnlewis.com

Revenue Owner(s) Employees Parent Website

INTRODUCTION

John Lewis is a chain of up market department stores operating throughout Great Britain. The chain is owned by the John Lewis Partnership. The first John Lewis store was opened in 1864 in Oxford Street, London. The chain is known for its policy of "Never Knowingly Undersold" which has been in use since 1925. There are currently 36 stores throughout England, Scotland & Wales, including six new At Home stores, with a further four opening in 2012. The store in Cardiff is the largest currently operated by the Partnership outside of London. On 1 January 2008, John Lewis Oxford Street was awarded a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen as suppliers of haberdashery and household goods. John Lewis Reading is also the holder of a Royal Warrant from the Queen as suppliers of household and fancy goods, received in 2007.

HISTORY
Early History
The flagship store on Oxford Street began as a drapery shop, opened by John Lewis in 1864. In 1905 Lewis acquired a second store, Peter Jones in Sloane Square, London. His son, John Spedan Lewis, founded the John Lewis Partnership in 1920 after thinking up the idea during his days in charge of Peter Jones. John Spedan Lewis also thought up the idea of the Gazette, the partnership's in-house magazine, first published in 1918. In 1933 the partnership purchased its first store outside London ~ the long established Jessops in Nottingham. Jessops only rebranded itself as John Lewis in 2002. In 1940 the partnership bought Selfridge Provincial Stores. This group of fifteen suburban and provincial department stores included: Cole Brothers, Sheffield;

George Henry Lee, Liverpool; Robert Sayle, Cambridge; and Trewins, Watford; all of which continue to trade today but which are now rebranded as John Lewis as well as Caley's, Windsor which has since closed. In 1953 the partnership bought Herbert Parkinson, a textile manufacturer, a business which still makes duvets, pillows and furnishings for John Lewis.

Recent History
The original Oxford Street shop is still the flagship and largest branch in the Partnership. A complete refurbishment of the building was completed in late 2007 at a cost of 60 million ref. This introduced the brand new 'Place To Eat' restaurant and the inclusion of a brasserie and bistro in the store. A 'John Lewis Food Hall from Waitrose' opened in the shop's basement in October 2007. A second Food Hall opened at the John Lewis Bluewater store on 6 August 2009. The refurbishment of the Oxford Street flagship follows on from substantial investment made in other shops across the group over recent years. This has included the renovation of Peter Jones at a cost of 107 million, completed in 2004. The first John Lewis store constructed as part of a shopping centre was Jessops in Nottingham which has been a feature of Victoria Centre since it opened in 1972. The announcement of an anchor tenant such as John Lewis contributes to the certainty of developers' proposals, and so attracts other retailers to the area. Many stores acquired by the Partnership retained their original names for several years, including Jessops in Nottingham (its first store outside London), Bonds in Norwich, Trewins in Watford, and Bainbridge's in Newcastle. All have now been rebranded John Lewis, with the exception of Peter Jones and Knight & Lee in Southsea. The John Lewis Partnership were the first department store group in the UK to adopt central buying, launching the 'Jonell(e)' name for own

brand merchandise in 1937. That brand name has gradually been replaced with the 'John Lewis' name since 2001. Additional own brands include John Lewis Collection as well as John Lewis men, women, boy, girl and baby for clothing. A selection of Waitrose own brand products, such as cleaning materials and party stationery, are also available from John Lewis. Before the relaxation of UK Sunday trading laws, John Lewis stores were well known for closing on Mondays to allow staff a full two day "weekend".

STORES
Department stores
The John Lewis Partnership currently operates 36 John Lewis stores throughout England, Wales and Scotland. The Oxford Street store, originally opened in 1864, is the largest operated by the Partnership. 28 of the stores are traditional department stores and six are 'John Lewis at Home' stores. There are currently four 'At Home' stores in development, due to open in 2012. A store will open in Birmingham City Centre in 2013 within the Pallasades Shopping Centre as part of the New Street Station redevelopment.

John Lewis at home

In 2009, John Lewis announced a new format of 'John Lewis at Home' stores, the first of which was due to open in Poole in October 2009. The 'At Home' stores are located within pre-existing shopping regions, and focus on Electrical, Home and Technology products. The store in Poole opened on the 22 October 2009 at the former Courts site at the Commerce Centre retail park in Branksome. Following the early success of the Poole "At Home" format, three further 'At

Home' stores opened in 2010/11 in areas outside of the catchment of the traditional John Lewis stores, including Croydon, Tunbridge Wells, Tamworth, Chester and Swindon. Further stores in Newbury and Ashford, Kent opening in 2012.

The front entrance to the John Lewis Cribbs Causeway store.

John Lewis, Reading

High cross, Leicester.

John Lewis Newcastle, Eldon Square Shopping

The History of John Lewis Oxford Street

The making of one of London`s finest department stores It`s hard to imagine that back in 1864, Oxford Street, which today lies at the heart of London`s West End shopping area, was lined with tiny single shops such as booksellers, shoemakers and goldsmiths. The young apprentice It was here that John Lewis leased a shop. At 28 he had 14 years` experience in the drapery trade, working as a buyer at Peter Robinson. He began selling ribbons and haberdashery and in 1870, expanded into linens. He knew how to buy well and was scrupulously honest, quickly gaining a reputation for good value. Over the next 20 years, the shop grew considerably. First by leasing buildings in Holles Street, next by the acquisition of more shops in Oxford Street, and finally, in 1895, by the purchase of Cavendish Buildings. As the floor space expanded so did the range of goods sold. In addition to selling haberdashery and linens, John Lewis was also an `outfitter, upholsterer, furrier, a dealer in china, glass, cutlery, plate and ironmongery