One of my friends and I both had Saturday jobs - mine in Woolworths and hers in a well known luxury department store. A customer of hers, obviously wealthy, came to ask for a refund on an umbrella, which she duly got with no questions asked. It turned out that the store had not stocked that particular brand of umbrella for fifteen years!

I hope it's not too late to add to this thread. I've just read Jane's book "Our Best Attention" and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't read much fiction as I've always had a lot of work related reading to do.

I am now on holiday and my ideal light reading material is a collection of short stories so each can be read between swimming, sightseeing and eating. Jane's book was ideal.

I well remember visits to the various department stores in Glasgow in the 1950s and early 60s. In Sauchiehall Street there was Pettigrew and Stevens, Copeland and Lye and Dalys (probably the most upmarket). In Argyll Street there was Lewis's and Arnott Simpson's (not quite so smart) and in Buchanan Street there was MacDonald's (which was also pretty smart). I think there was a House of Fraser somewhere but I can't remember where it was. Jane's creation Murray's struck a lot of bells. Very nostalgic.

I like the idea of each story being complete on it's own, yet relating to the same setting. It was good to set it in the early 70s as I think very few if any of these stores remain. Those that do still exist seem to be just brand franchises under one roof and we cannot now be assured of their " best attention".

Well done, Jane. I hope you will write another one.

I've just read that McEwans of Perth has had to close its doors. 130 staff now out of work but more than that a whole way of shopping life gone.

I remember the programme about the lion cub bought in Harrods by two young antique dealers. They used to take him to work at their shop and kept him in the basement. His name was Christian. When he became an adult they realised that they couldn't keep a lion as a pet and so, with the help of the Born Free Trust (I think) they took him to Kenya to be introduced to the wild. They visited him several times and he would greet them ecstatically until on a later visit about two years later he wasn't interested. I have the book and DVD of the story. Still brings tears to my eyes.

Sorry about the deviation from the thread on department stores. I remember the old fashioned ones too. And Wilma I remember Owen Owen in Coventry. Wondered where it had gone. I didn't realise it was now a Primark as I hardly ever go to Coventry even though I'm only about ten miles away.

Oh that sounds so civilised Jodygran. A library too. Sigh. I'd sort of hoped that Harrods and Liberty's were still nice places to go and be treated as valued customers. Oh well. Back to the online shopping!

I too have fond memories of department stores. I lived in central London so had many to choose from. Barkers and Derry and Toms in Kensington High Street, a great treat to have tea on the Derry.s Roof garden with its view over London (up till recently I know it was still there....but without the elegance of the 50s! With a pianist in the afternoon). And frequent visits to Harrods (of course still there, but last time I visited I left quickly)....it is hardly recognisable and the once lovely huge toy department, with its Rocking Horses, Board Games and Wendy Houses to play (quietly) in, is now a noisy arena of flashing lights, beeping toys - the usual selection..and disinterested sales assistants. My sister worked in the Harrod,s Library (long gone i think) and my greatest treat when back from school was to curl up behind her desk and see her greet "her" customers ( it was alphabetical, each letter of the Alphabet allocated to their own librarian, she had the Ms. They came and sat in a comfy chair and were recommended the best
books for them. Another world...we hardly even have libraries now either.

Thanks Jane. I'm trying to write a family history for cousins and GC - I didn't remember much about the role the department stores played in family life until I found this thread!

Sounds lovely Elrel. How interesting to hear of your father's sales book. Calculating commission was no fun pre decimalisation. Fancy a restaurant called 'The Gay Tray'. Brilliant name but unlikely to be revived these days!

Lovely thread invoking memories! My father worked in Men's Wear in Lewis's Birmingham (not connected to John Lewis which we only got in 2015. When Rackhams, now House of Fraser opened he moved there.
When at Lewis's his 'book' was a feature of our evenings. He'd get it out, full of records of previous year's sales, (he was on commission) and compare with the past year. I recall his satisfaction if he had 'done his day' and sold more, his worry if for no obvious reason he hadn't. At Rackham's his special responsibility was to measure customers for the 'made to measure' suits which were then made in the Leeds area. He was often asked for by name by regulars and used to tell us of local celebrities who had been in. After Carnaby Street began he disappointed a young Crossroads actor who had asked to have a blue velvet suit made, explaining that the fabric was quite unsuitable for tailoring!!
My mother love to visit their restaurants one of which was called The Gay Tray! She also had her hair done there occasionally as a special treat.
In earlier years at Lewis's I'd sit on a fairground type animal and have my hair cut and SINGED with a wax taper. I liked the smell of singeing hair! There was a Pets department which I loved to go round and see the animals and birds. In the Spring, a display of plants and live rabbits and chicks on the roof. The Pets department was closed eventually due, I think, to a member of staff contracting psittacosis from a parrot.
My mother and I returned to Lewis's about 1960s to see a fashion show including a brief speech by Mary Quant. I was surprised to see another woman, a London journalist I think, apparently wearing wellies with a smart suit. I had not seen leather fashion boots before and thought it looked odd. Unbelievable now!
Apologies for getting carried away - if you actually read this far!

I'm glad you're enjoying it grandma60. I've heard a lot of good things about Owen Owens. How nice that they have a trust fund for former employees. Sad that it had to close though.
I must say that I enjoy writing about my imaginary posh store and keeping it all going if only in fictional form.

Jane I'm about half way through your book. I worked in Owen Owen Southampton ( formally May,s) for about 5 years in the 80s so quite some time after the period yours was set in. Even so it really took me back. There were so many characters there that had worked there for years and there was quite a formal atmosphere compared to the workplace today. Older staff told us that years before you had to stand in line each morning for inspections of uniform, hair and nails! When it closed in 1992 a lot of the regular customers told us how sad they were that it was closing, but unfortunately they really only came in to browse but bought what they wanted much cheaper in the chain stores.

A couple of years ago there was a reunion at a local hotel where we were invited to apply to the Owen Owen Trust Fund if we needed to.
Thank you for this lovely book.

I remember Bobbys too, Jalima. It was the same in Heelas of Reading, now a wonderful John Lewis store.

I am still mourning the death of Dickens and Jones - I used to nearly live there!

And Harabs isn't Harrods anymore.

Jane 10,yes the outfits and accessories in the shop are designer labelled but there is a lovely,friendly atmosphere and customers are greeted as they enter.My GD says is often asked by the other assistants how she relates so easily to older people--and she tells them she practices on me!

Sounds lovely Shelana. Blimey though, coffee and champagne? It must be an extremely expensive place!
I suppose good customer service actually costs nothing. Its all in the attitude and that tends to filter down from the management. Ah well!

Wilma,I worked in Owen Owen in the late 40's as a holiday job.I was assigned to the stockings counter but longed to be promoted to more interesting fashions department.It never happened.Now my grand daughter is working in an exclusive Ladies Shop.Customers get that old fashioned attention and are offered coffee or even champagne on special days.Husbands have comfortable seats and newspapers.But all this comes at a cost!Most department stores expect you to serve yourself and then they will take your money!

My local department store was the London co-op. We lived in a small town on the outskirts of London which was 22 miles away. I was so pleased when at last as a teenager, walking into the store carrying my handbag, and wearing my hat and white gloves the shop assistants addressed me as 'madam'. I really felt I had been recognised as a grown up, and must be on my best behaviour.

I now live up north and until a few years agon the old family department stores still had shop assistants who gave one the same courtesies. Today however the younger generation have been employed, it would seem in some cases without any training. They talk to each other, not the customer, do not know their stock and seem to have no idea how to help.

I have to say however, some the the chain stores such as Next, Anne Summers & Marks and Spencer, do seem to have a training programme.

However I am doing more click and collect so as not to have to search the rails in person. I have not however tried the buyer service which stores like Debenhams have.

I's love to read Jane's new book Our Best Attention.

My book arrived today and I'm going on a long coach journey on Thursday, so I will save it for then. Thank you!

annsixty, I can't remember Farmers' store, but now I think of it, Toby's would have been on Friar's Gate (or Lane?) Not far from the Market Square - or Slab Square as it was affectionately known!

I received my book today - thank you! Really looking forward to reading it.

Got mine as well. Looks really good

I also received mine today, and am looking forward to reading it. Many thanks indeed.

Got mine today. Thank you so much !!

Marelli today I had a phone call from a friend of 50 years who still lives in Nottingham and I told her of our thread and. she said the store I was thinking of was Farmers and Toby's was on Friars Gate. Does that ring a bell with you?

Thank you so much - what a lovely surprise!

The books will make their way to the winners as soon as GNHQ collate and pass on addresses. Thanks to everyone for such interesting posts. Sorry there could only be five winners.