Glasgow's Bygone Businesses - Times Past
In partnership with the Glasgow Times, our archivists are exploring Glasgow's fascinating history. This week, Nerys Tunnicliffe writes about Glasgow's bygone businesses.
Glasgow is known for its great shopping, and there have been many memorable shops and department stores in the city’s history.
The earliest shops in Glasgow, were set up around medieval times from carts and temporary stalls (as in many other cities). Glasgow’s High Street, then the hub of the city, became the place to trade with market stalls set up along its course. As trade boomed, stalls became bigger and more substantial shops were incorporated into tenement buildings.
However, it wasn’t until Victorian times that the notion developed of shopping as an enjoyable experience, rather than just a mundane necessity. Advancements in manufacture meant that clothes, furniture and food goods could be produced with less expense and more speedily than ever before.
A new concept emerged, the department store, a shop selling many different types of products within several departments. Like Selfridges of London, these stores were in beautiful buildings and had comfortable rooms for shoppers, with excellent customer service. One of Glasgow’s best examples was Copland & Lye. Established in 1873 by William Copland and John Lye, the store soon moved from its initial Cowcaddens location to a prime site in the grand Caledonian House, Sauchiehall Street in 1878 (near to rivals Pettigrew & Stephens). Copland & Lye were renowned for dressmaking and their haberdashery. The very latest Parisian styles could be recreated in days for fashion conscious customers. In 1909 they added a tearoom, and there was also a beauty salon and hairdressers in store. Its hugely popular catalogues now in Glasgow City Archives’ collections, display its range of toys, gifts, homeware and fashion. At its height the business employed around 400 staff, with the records showing many serving over 30 years. Its closure in 1971 was lamented by many in the city who’d enjoyed the taste of luxury the store had provided for so many years.
Another grand store, this one with striking Art Deco frontage, was Rowan House at Buchanan Street where Rowans Ltd were based. Rowans Ltd were the successors of Macintosh & Fleming founded around 1846. They also had a store at Argyle Street which they rebuilt in 1883. Rowans were more specialist than Copland & Lye, focusing on tailoring for men and boys. From overcoats to underwear, suits to shirts and collars, the discerning gentleman could rely on Rowans. In its early days no female employees were hired to ensure all measuring and fittings were without any awkwardness for the customer! The firm provided the tailoring for many Scottish boarding schools such as Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh and Clifton Bank, St Andrews. They were also known for their sportswear which included attire for cricket, golf, tennis, athletics, and more. Glasgow University Athletic Club contracted them as their outfitters for many years. Rowans remained independent until 1974 when Austin Reed took over the company.
Bow’s Emporium was another well-loved department store, situated on the High Street. The business began as a hardware merchant in the 1870s by William Bow at 91 High Street. However, when larger premises further along the street were made available in 1888 by the City Improvement Trustees, Bow quickly purchased these and the ‘emporium’ was established. According to ‘Strattens’ Glasgow commercial review’ in 1891, Mr Bow ‘personally’ directed the store and its staff. Its three floors contained everything including ironmongery, rugs, brushes, glass, china, spades, bedsteads, stoves and toys! Glaswegians looking for quality furnishings headed to Bows, and the growth of imports meant that it wasn’t just home goods on offer. The Bow family were closely involved in the business until it was acquired by Robert Wylie Hill in 1947.
These Glasgow bygone businesses are still fondly remembered today, their place in Glasgow’s long retail heritage preserved in our archives.
[header image reference: D-CA8/1487]