...Tesco? Burnt Oak, Middlesex, 1931: I wrote about this yesterday. A second store was opened around the same time in Green Lane, Becontree, Essex.
...Sainsbury? 173 Drury Lane, Holborn, 1869: I wrote about this in 2005. 173DruryLane had five floors which included the shop, an attic and a basement (where the food for the shop was stored). The Sainsbury family shared the premises with three other families. Early trading was in dairy goods only, brought in by train from Devon, Dorset and East Anglia. There's no number 173 any more, alas, just a rather nasty office block. A second store was opened at 159 Queen's Crescent, Kentish Town in 1873. Half a floor at the Museum in Docklands is given over to the Sainsbury Archive, with free public access.
...Waitrose? 263 Acton Hill, Acton, Middlesex, 1904: The grocery store opened as Waite, Rose & Taylor, named after the three founders, but renamed itself Waitrose four years later after David Taylor left the business. The company was taken over by the John Lewis Partnership in 1937 when there were only 10 stores - today there are 280. The first Waitrose supermarket opened in Streatham in 1955 with 2500 sq ft of selling space. The original store in Acton is now a tacky pizza takeaway, with a commemorative plaque on the pavement.
...Asda? Leeds, 1949: Founded as Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Limited, then merged in 1965 with the Asquith chain of supermarkets to form Asda - an abbreviation of Asquith and Dairies.
...Booths? Blackpool, 1847: Started out at The China House, opened by 19 year old tea dealer Edwin Henry Booth.
...Budgens? Maidenhead, Berkshire, 1872: Founded by John Budgen. Their HQ is currently in Harefield, which is one of the few locations in London to be more than two miles from a Tesco.
...Co-Op? Rochdale, Lancashire, 1844: First established by the Rochdale Pioneers Society. One of their eight 'Rochdale rules' was to distribute a share of profits according to purchases... which came to be known as 'the divi'. You can now book a visit to the Rochdale Pioneers Museum.
...Iceland? Oswestry, Shropshire, 1970: And there was you thinking Reykjavik. The first store specialised in selling loose frozen food, because domestic fridges and freezers weren't yet commonplace.
...Londis? somewhere in London, 1959: The name was a contraction of "London District Stores".
...Marks and Spencer? 20 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, 1894: The first shop was in Manchester, although Michael Marks' original Penny Bazaar was a stall on Kirkgate Market, Leeds.
...Morrisons? Bradford, 1958: The company is much older, founded in 1899 as an egg and butter merchant in Rawson Market, Bradford, under the name of Wm Morrison (Provisions) Limited.
...Bejam? Stanmore, Middlesex, 1972: Yes, apparently Stanmore. I'd love to uncover some more evidence.
...Fine Fare? Brighton, 1956
...Kwik Save? Queen Street, Rhyl, 1959
...Liptons? Glasgow, 1871: Turned into Presto, turned into Safeway, turned into Morrisons.
...Presto? Prestonpans, East Lothian, 1977: Obviously.
...Safeway? Bedford, 1962: I used to do my weekly shopping there.
...Tesco? Burnt Oak, Middlesex, 1931: I wrote about this yesterday. A second store was opened around the same time in Green Lane, Becontree, Essex.
