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The interior of a typical Macy*s department store.
The interior of a typical Macy*s department store. Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed

A department store is a retail establishment which specializes in selling a wide range of products without a single predominant merchandise line. In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need Department stores usually sell products including apparel, furniture, appliances, electronics, and additionally select other lines of products such as paint, hardware, toiletries, cosmetics, photographic equipment, jewelery, toys, and sporting goods. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather Furniture is the Mass noun for the movable objects which may support the human body (seating furniture and beds, provide storage or hold objects on horizontal Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical Paint is any Liquid, liquifiable or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque Solid Hardware is a general term that refers to the physical artifacts of a Technology. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones This article is about playthings For other uses of the term see Toy (disambiguation. Sports equipment is a general term for any object used for Sport or Exercise. Certain department stores are further classified as discount department stores. Discount department stores commonly have central customer checkout areas, generally in the front area of the store. Point of sale or point of service ( POS or PoS) can mean a retail shop, a checkout counter in a shop or the location where a transaction Department stores are usually part of a retail chain of many stores situated around a country or several countries. Chain stores are Retail outlets that share a Brand and central management and usually have standardized business methods and practices

Contents

History

The great Gostiny Dvor in Saint Petersburg, 1802.
The great Gostiny Dvor in Saint Petersburg, 1802. Gostinyi dvor (Гостиный двор is a historic Russian term for an indoor Market, or Shopping centre. Year 1802 ( MDCCCII) was a Common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a Common year starting on Wednesday of the

Hudson's Bay Company in Canada was the first store to include departments; however, by modern standards, it would not be considered a department store because of the size and range of items that were stocked. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The same may be said about Gostiny Dvor in Saint Petersburg, which opened in 1785 and should probably be regarded as one of the first purposely-built shopping malls in the world, as it consisted of more than 100 shops covering an area of over 53,000 m². Gostinyi dvor (Гостиный двор is a historic Russian term for an indoor Market, or Shopping centre. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A shopping mall or shopping centre is a building or set of buildings that contain Retail units with interconnecting Walkways enabling visitors

The first true department store was founded by Aristide Boucicaut in Paris. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city He founded Le Bon Marché in 1838, and by 1852 it offered a wide variety of goods in "departments" inside one building. For the former chain of American department stores see The Bon Marché. Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Goods were sold at fixed prices, with guarantees allowing exchanges and refunds. By the end of the 19th century, Georges Dufayel, a French credit merchant, had served up to three million customers and was affiliated with La Samaritaine, a large French department store established in 1870 by a former Bon Marché executive. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar La Samaritaine is a large Department store in Paris, France, located in the First Arrondissement.

The oldest independent department store in the world, is 'Austin's' in Derry, Northern Ireland, which has maintained its original position on The 'Diamond' in Derry's city centre since 1830. Austins is a Department store located in the Diamond of Derry, Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of

As Le Bon Marché evolved into a fully fledged department store in the early 1850s, Delany's New Mart opened in 1853 in Dublin, Ireland on Sackville Street (now O'Connell Street). For the former chain of American department stores see The Bon Marché. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world O'Connell Street (Sráid Uí Chonaill is Dublin 's main thoroughfare What made Delany's different from most department stores of its time was its purpose-built nature; unlike others it had not evolved gradually from a smaller shop on site. Constructed to a lavish standard on the city's principal street, it was designed to rival the biggest and best in Europe. Acquired by the Clery family in the late 19th century, both the store and Imperial Hotel located in its upper floors were completely destroyed in the 1916 Easter Rising. The Easter Rising (Éirí Amach na Cásca was a rebellion staged in Ireland in Easter Week, 1916 However the store reopened in 1922, this time across numerous floors, as the famous Clerys department store that stands today, housed in a striking modern neoclassical building based on Selfridges of London. Clerysjpg|right|250px|thumb|Clerys on O'Connell Street]] Clerys is a department store on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Selfridges is a chain of Department stores in the United Kingdom.

Another claimant to the title of "World's first department store" is Bainbridges in Newcastle upon Tyne, founded in 1838 as a drapers and fashion shop but on record as collecting its takings by department as early as 1849. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England The ledger from that year still survives in the archives of the John Lewis Partnership who bought the store in 1952, and retained its original name until 2002 when the store was rebranded as John Lewis Newcastle. John Lewis Newcastle is a major Department store in the North East England city of Newcastle upon Tyne. That is sorted goods out into Departments in 1849, three years before Le Bon Marche in Paris did the same, there is a strong case for Bainbridges being the world's original department store.

Lewis's (United Kingdom) may have been the first most progressive department store group. Lewis's is a large Department store in Liverpool city centre Lewis's Ltd was a department store group operating in the United Kingdom from 1856 to the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located By 1956 it had the largest stores in the provinces of the UK and had brought the idea of department selling across the country. It started in Liverpool in 1856 and catered for all classes aiming to have the highest quality and lowest prices. David Lewis may have been the catalyst to making tea easily available to the working classes. (Lewis's 2/- tea). It did this by buying the tea direct from the shippers from its home in Liverpool and cutting out the middle man. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Lewis's also experimented in new ways of advertising (e. Lewis's is a large Department store in Liverpool city centre Lewis's Ltd was a department store group operating in the United Kingdom from 1856 to the g. flooding the basement of the Manchester store to create a mini Venice. ) It's grotto's always were and still are well known through generations of people from Northern Britain. Since 1856 it had stores in Manchester (1877), Liverpool (1856), Birmingham , Glasgow, Liverpool (The Bon Marche), Leeds, Hanley, London (Selfridges),Bristol and Leicester . Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Leeds ( is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Selfridges is a chain of Department stores in the United Kingdom. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional The group's first and final store, in Liverpool, went into administration in 2007 and was purchased as a going concern by Vergo Retail Limited. Vergo Retail Ltd is a Department store business in Liverpool It was set up in 2007 Enabling the store to continue trading under the Lewis's brand. [1]

In New York City in 1846, Alexander Turney Stewart established the "Marble Palace" on the east-Broadway, between Chambers and Reade streets. The City of New York For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display Alexander Turney Stewart ( October 12, 1803 &ndash April 10, 1876) was a successful Irish American Entrepreneur who made 280 Broadway (known also as the Marble Palace, the AT Stewart Company Store or The Sun Building) is the site of America's first Department store Broadway, as the name implies is a wide avenue in New York City. He offered European retail merchandise at fixed prices on a variety of dry goods, and advertised a policy of providing "free entrance" to all potential customers. Though it was clad in white marble to look like a Renaissance palazzo, the building's cast iron construction permitted large plate glass windows. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere For other meanings (eg the word's use in place names see Palazzo (disambiguation. Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. Flat glass, sheet glass, or plate glass is a type of Glass, initially produced in plane form commonly used for Windows glass doors transparent In 1862 Stewart built a department store on a full city block at Broadway and 9th Street, opposite Grace Church, with eight floors and nineteen departments of dress goods and furnishing materials, carpets, glass and china, toys and sports equipment, ranged around a central glass-covered court. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Within a couple of decades, New York's retail center had moved uptown, forming a stretch of retail shopping from "Marble Palace" that was called the "Ladies' Mile". New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In 1858 Rowland Hussey Macy founded Macy's as a dry goods store. Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Rowland Hussey Macy Sr ( August 30 1822 - March 29 1877) was an American businessman who founded the department store chain Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed Benjamin Altman and Lord & Taylor soon competed with Stewart as New York's first department stores, later followed by "McCreary's" and, in Brooklyn, "Abraham & Straus. Lord & Taylor, based in New York, New York, is the oldest upscale Department store chain in the United States. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. " (The Straus family would be in the management of both Macy's and A&S. )

Le Bon Marché department store in Paris, 1867.
Le Bon Marché department store in Paris, 1867. For the former chain of American department stores see The Bon Marché.

Similar developments were under way in London (with Whiteleys), in Paris (with La Samaritaine) and in Chicago, where department stores sprang up along State Street, notably Marshall Field and Company, which was the second-largest department store in the world prior to converting to Macy's. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Whiteleys was London 's first Department store, located in the Bayswater area of London, England. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city La Samaritaine is a large Department store in Paris, France, located in the First Arrondissement. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Marshall Field's ( Marshall Field & Company) was an iconic Chicago Illinois, Department store that grew to become a major chain before being acquired In 1877, Wanamaker's opened in Philadelphia. Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Wanamaker's Department store was the first department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the first department stores in the United States Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Philadelphia's John Wanamaker performed a 19th century redevelopment to the former Pennsylvania Railroad terminal in that city and eventually opened a modern day department store in the building. John Nelson Wanamaker ( July 11, 1838 – December 12, 1922) was a United States merchant religious leader civic and political figure The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Urban Renewal (similar to Urban Regeneration in British English) is a controversial U The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Railroad, founded in 1846

On March 1, 1869 Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution was opened in Salt Lake City as a new community store that became the first incorporated department store in America in 1870. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A new 3-story brick and iron store was built in 1876, noted for its unique architecture and striped awnings. This store was replaced by an enclosed shopping center in 1973, and the new Zion department store preserved the gilt-edged ornate facade of the old store. In 1999 the May Department Stores bought a 14-store ZCMI chain and changed its name to "Meier & Frank", a May property with eight stores in Oregon and Washington. The May Department Stores Company was a national Department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Subsequently May Department Stores completed a merger with Federated Department Stores and the Meier & Frank brand ZCMI stores have become Macy's stores, effective late 2006. The May Department Stores Company was a national Department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May Macy's Inc ( formerly Federated Department Stores Inc, is a Department store Holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed

In 1881, Joseph Lowthian Hudson opened a small men's clothing store in Detroit. Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Joseph Lowthian Hudson ( October 17 1846 &ndash July 5 1912) also known as J After 10 years he had 8 stores in the midwest and was the most profitable clothing retailer in the country. In 1893 he began construction of the immense department store at Gratiot and Farmer streets in Detroit. The 25-story tower was added in 1928, and a 12-story addition in 1946, giving the entire complex 49 acres of floor space. In 1954 the company became a suburban shopping center pioneer when it built Northland 13 miles northwest of Detroit. In 1969 it merged with the Dayton Corporation to create Dayton-Hudson headquartered in Minneapolis. George Dayton had founded his Dayton's Daylight store in Minneapolis in 1902 and the AMC cooperative in 1912, built the Southdale Shopping Center in 1956, and started the Target discount store chain in 1962. The new corporation closed the flagship Hudson department store in downtown Detroit in 1983, but expanded its other retail operations. It acquired Mervyn's in 1978, Marshall Field's in 1990, and renamed itself the Target Corporation in 2000.

By 1890 a new world of retailing had been created as department stores had a clear market position as universal providers. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common General stores eventually became department stores as small towns became cities. "Corner shop" redirects here For the British band see Cornershop. The most prominent department stores emerged from small shops. The department store created several of North America's first large businesses. The department store is also largely responsible for the standard store design seen today, because of its size it required new building materials, glass technology and new heating, amongst other architectural innovations. The store layouts made shopping easier for consumers regardless of their social or economic background. The department store also offered new customer services never before seen such as restaurants, restrooms, reading rooms, home delivery, wrapping services, store hours, bridal registries, new types of merchandise displays and so forth. A bridal registry is a service provided by retail stores to assist engaged couples in the communication of gift preferences to wedding guests

Some department stores leased space to individual merchants, similar to the changes in late 17th-century London, but by 1900 the smaller merchants were purchased or eventually replaced by the larger companies. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar In this way they were very similar to our modern malls, where the property owner has no direct interest in the actual department store itself, other than to collect rent and provide utilities. Today only the most specialized departments are leased out, such as photography, photo finishing, automotive services or financial services. However, today this is rare, as most departments--even a store's restaurant--is usually run by the store itself.

Before the 1950s, the department store held an eminent place in both Canada and Australia, during both the Great Depression and World War II. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Since then, they have suffered from strong competition from specialist stores. Most recently the competition has intensified with the advent of larger-scale superstores (Jones et al. 1994; Merrilees and Miller 1997). Competition was not the only reason for the department stores' weakening strength; the changing structure of cities also affected them. The compact and centralized 19th century city with its mass transit lines converging on the downtown was a perfect environment for department store growth. But as residents moved out of the downtown areas to the suburbs, the large, downtown department stores became inconvenient and lost business to the newer suburban shopping malls.

An innovative kind of department stores are Concept stores.

Countries


Flag of Argentina Argentina
In Buenos Aires, upscale department stores came during the early years of the 20th century. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Gath & Chávez opened in 1905 and Harrods Buenos Aires was established in 1912. Harrods is a Department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. Buenos Aires is the Capital and largest city of Argentina. It is geographically located on the southern shore of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern Today, the Chilean department store Falabella is one of the most prominent in the country, with branches in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, San Juan, Mendoza, and Rosario. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Falabella is a department store retailer founded by Salvatore Falabella in Santiago Chile. Córdoba, abbreviated as CBA, is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas mountains on the San Juan is Spanish for Saint John. It can also be the short version of San Juan Bautista ( John the Baptist)


Flag of Australia Australia
Although there were a number of department stores in Australia for much of the 20th Century, today Myer and David Jones, located nationally, are practically the national department stores duopoly in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Myer is Australia 's largest chain of Department stores retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's men's and children's clothing footwear and accessories David Jones Limited ( colloquially known as DJs, is an Australian retailer A true duopoly is a specific type of Oligopoly where only two producers exist in one Market. Other retail chain stores such as Target, Kmart and Big W, also located nationally, are considered to be Australia's discount department stores. Target Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian department store chain owned by Wesfarmers (formerly by Coles Group) Kmart Australia is a discount department store chain that operates in Australia (and New Zealand trading as Kmart New Zealand Big W is the second-largest chain of discount department stores in Australia with over 140 stores Harris Scarfe (trading under the Allens brand in New South Wales and the ACT), though only operating in four states and one territory, is a department store using both the large full-line and small discount department store formats. Harris Scarfe Department Stores was founded in South Australia in 1850 in Adelaide South Australia Most department stores in Australia have their own credit card companies, each having their own benefits while the discount department stores do not have their own credit card rights.


Flag of Canada Canada
From its origins in the fur trade, the Hudson's Bay Company is the largest department store operator in Canada, and the oldest corporation in North America, with locations across the country. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal Fur. It also owns Zellers, another major Canadian department store. Zellers Inc is Canada 's second-largest chain of mass merchandise Department stores, with 282 locations in communities across Canada. Other department stores in Canada are: Sears Canada, Walmart Canada, Canadian Tire and Holt Renfrew. Sears Canada Inc ( (more commonly referred to as "Sears" is a Retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores Canadian Tire Corporation Limited ( is one of Canada's 35 largest publicly traded companies and operates an inter-related network of businesses engaged in retailing (hardgoods apparel Holt Renfrew is a chain of high-end Canadian Department stores It is comparable to Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United Historically, department stores were a significant component in Canadian economic life, and chain stores such as Eaton's, Spencer's, and Woodward's were staples in their respective communities. Eaton's was once Canada 's largest Department store Retailer. David Spencer Limited (commonly known as Spencer's) operated a Department store chain in the province of British Columbia, Canada during the Woodward's was the name of a department store which operated in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada for one hundred years before its sale to the Department stores in Canada are similar in design and style to department stores in the United States.


Flag of Chile Chile
Albeit relatively small, the domestic Chilean retail market has proved fiercely competitive with several department stores sprouting in Santiago and then expanding north and south of the country. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Santiago is the name of In Argentina: Santiago del Estero Province Santiago del Estero, capital of the province Leading department stores today include Falabella, Ripley, Almacenes París, La Polar, Sodimac, Johnson's, and Corona. Falabella is a department store retailer founded by Salvatore Falabella in Santiago Chile. Almacenes París (Paris Department Stores is a chain of Department stores in Chile. Fallabella, founded in 1889, has opened branches in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, with París -its main Chilean competitor- coming on its heels.


Flag of the People's Republic of China China
Department stores first appeared in China at the beginning of the 20th Century, the concept said to be introduced by expatriate Chinese living in Australia. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Before 1949, there were four main department stores in Shanghai: Wing On, Sincere, Sun Sun and Yat Sun; the first two still exist today. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Wing On ( is a Department store in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1907 and it is the second Chinese -owned department store in Hong Kong Sincerity is the Virtue of one who speaks truly about his or her own feelings thoughts desires

During World War II patriotic sentiment in China had led to the formation of a number of department stores specializing in locally-made merchandise. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including These types of stores became the mainstay in China after the formation of the Communist state in 1949. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES

Both types of department stores have long had branches in Hong Kong; however Japanese department stores began to appear in the 1960s, and within a generation's time became the dominant force in the market. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s had resulted in the closures of some of these stores, but on the whole Hong Kong still has one of the world's most competitive retail markets. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown (


Flag of El Salvador El Salvador


Flag of Finland Finland
The most famous department store chains in Finland are Stockmann, a listed company, and Sokos, owned by a nationwide retailing cooperative. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Stockmann ( is a Finnish listed company which was established in 1862 and is engaged in the retail trade Sokos is a chain of Department stores in Finland that is part of the S-Group. The Stockmann department store in central Helsinki is the biggest department store in the entire Nordic countries and a famous landmark of Helsinki. The Stockmann department store is a culturally significant business building and Department store located in the centre of Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland. The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe called the Nordic region, consisting of Denmark, Finland, Iceland,


Flag of France France

The famous christmas tree of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
The famous christmas tree of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city

France's major department stores are Galeries Lafayette and Le Printemps, which both have flagship stores on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris and branches around the country. The Galeries Lafayette is a French Department store company History In 1893 Théophile Bader and his cousin Alphonse Kahn opened a fashion Printemps (meaning "spring" in French) is a French Department store (or a grand magasin, literally "big store" Part of the same group as Galeries Lafayette, the BHV (Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville) has a more mid-market clientele. The oldest department store in France (and in the world) is Le Bon Marché in Paris. La Samaritaine was bought by LVMH and closed in 2005.


Flag of Indonesia Indonesia
Indonesia's largest department store chain is Ramayana with over ninety branches across the country. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki The same group also operated under Robinsons and Cayaha (acquired in 1990s), all targeting the lower income sectors. Other local department store is Matahari, now owned by Lippo Group. Matahari is a major Department store chain in Indonesia. Matahari is operated by PT The group previously managed to trade under Mega M, Galeria, JC Penney and Walmart brands, all of which have been progressively closed. J C Penney Company Inc ( most commonly known today by the name JCPenney or simply Penneys) is a mid-range chain of American Department stores Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores Soon, the group will be opening the first Parisian Department Store in Indonesia. Parisian was a moderate to upscale US chain of Department stores headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The middle up segment is mainly occupied by Metro Department Store originated from Singapore and Sogo. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Sogo Co Ltd (株式会社そごう) is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. In 2007 saw the re-opening of Jakarta's Seibu, poised to be the largest and second most upscale department store in Indonesia after Harvey Nichols, which will be opened in 2008 at the same shopping centre. is a Japanese department store. The first store to trade under the name opened its doors in 1949 Harvey Nichols ("Harvey Nicks" founded in 1813 is an Upmarket Department store chain


Flag of Iran Iran
Iran's largest and newest department store chain is Shahrvand with fourteen stores, all located in Tehran. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Shahrvand is the largest Persian language newspaper in North America which serves the Iranian and Afghani communities across North America Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of The other chains are Refah and seppah which have stores throughout the country.


Flag of Ireland Ireland
Originally the Republic of Ireland had two department stores, Clerys and Arnotts, the latter considered to be one of the five largest stores in Britain and Ireland. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Clerysjpg|right|250px|thumb|Clerys on O'Connell Street]] Clerys is a department store on O'Connell Street in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Arnotts is the oldest and largest department store in Dublin, Ireland. However several large retailers now own chains of department stores, such as:

The most upmarket chain is undoubtedly Brown Thomas, founded as a haberdasher's in 1849 on Dublin's Grafton Street. Debenhams plc ( is a British -based retailer operating under a Department Store format in the UK and franchise stores in other countries Dunnes is a Supermarket and clothing retail chain based in the Republic of Ireland. Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 The company (which belongs to the same group as the UK's Selfridges or Canada's Holt Renfrew) bought its long time competitor across the street, Switzers, in 1995. BT then moved to the larger site. It also acquired and re-branded the former Switzer stores in Cork (formerly Cash's), Limerick (formerly Todd's) and Galway (formerly Moon's).

There are also many self-owned department stores around the country, especially in rural towns.

The British department store, Debenhams, purchased the Roches Stores chain in 2006, closed two stores and rebranded the others. Roches Stores was a national chain of Department stores in the Republic of Ireland acquired by Debenhams in 2006 The opening of Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin's suburbs saw the arrival of two more British stores, House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols. Dundrum Town Centre is a shopping centre located in Dundrum, Dublin, Ireland on the site of the defunct Pye television factory House of Fraser is a British Department store group with 63 stores (April 2008 across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Harvey Nichols ("Harvey Nicks" founded in 1813 is an Upmarket Department store chain


Flag of Japan Japan

Main article: Department stores in Japan

Some of the largest department stores in Japan include Daimaru (J. Front Retailing), Hankyu (H2O Retailing), Hanshin (H2O Retailing), Isetan (Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings), Marui, Matsuzakaya (J. Front Retailing), Matsuya, Mitsukoshi (Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings), Printemps Ginza, Seibu (Millennium Retailing), Sogo (Millennium Retailing), Takashimaya, Tobu, and Tokyu (109). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Department stores in Japan are referred to as hyakkaten (百貨店 or depāto (デパート an abbreviation of the English term is a company that operates a chain of department stores, principally in the Kansai region of Japan. is a major holding company in Japan. It was established with a capitalization of 30 billion yen on September 3, 2007. is a Japanese Department store chain owned by, a subsidiary of H2O Retailing Corporation is a Japanese Department store chain owned by, a subsidiary of H2O Retailing Corporation ( unlisted on March 26 2008) is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and East Asia including ( is a Japanese Retail company which operates a chain of Department stores in Tokyo. The ( is a major Japanese department store with headquarters in Nagoya. is a major holding company in Japan. It was established with a capitalization of 30 billion yen on September 3, 2007. ( unlisted on March 26 2008 is an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Printemps (meaning "spring" in French) is a French Department store (or a grand magasin, literally "big store" is a Japanese department store. The first store to trade under the name opened its doors in 1949 Sogo Co Ltd (株式会社そごう) is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. ( is a large Japanese department store chain Founded in 1829 in Kyoto by Iida Shinshichi as a retailer of used clothing and cotton cloth the Many are owned and operated in conjunction with private railway companies. Recently, business integration has been successive.


Flag of Germany Germany
In Germany there are a number of department stores. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. There are three big department store companies, Karstadt (part of Arcandor AG, also operating the KaDeWe and two Wertheim department stores in Berlin and the Alsterhaus in Hamburg), Hertie and Kaufhof (part of the Metro AG). Arcandor AG ( KarstadtQuelle AG until June 30 2007 ( is a Holding company located in Essen, Germany that operates and oversees a number of The Kaufhaus des Westens (English "Department Store of the West" commonly abbreviated KaDeWe) is a Department store in Berlin. Hermann Tietz was a German merchant of Jewish origin Tietz was born on April 29, 1837 in Birnbaum an der Warthe near Posen (today Międzychód Metro AG ( is a diversified Retail and Wholesale / cash and carry group based in Germany. There are also some smaller independent department stores. Some department stores only sell clothing. The biggest clothing department store chain is C&A. C&A is also an abbreviation for the Camden and Amboy Railroad. Larger department stores in Germany usually contain a self-service restaurant, clothing departments, a toy department, a department for computer and electronics, a small book department (for bestsellers), a department for newspapers and magazines and a food department (like a supermarket).

One of the most famous department stores in Germany is the Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe, German for department store of the west) which is located in Berlin. The Kaufhaus des Westens (English "Department Store of the West" commonly abbreviated KaDeWe) is a Department store in Berlin. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany.


Flag of Kuwait Kuwait
The most well-known department store in Kuwait is Villa Moda


Flag of Malaysia Malaysia
Since the 1980s, Malaysia has opened its doors to many foreign chains, such as Tesco, Carrefour, Aeon (JUSCO), Makro, Sogo, etc. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and commonly written AEON Co Ltd, is the holding company of ÆON Group. is the Acronym for Japan United Stores Company, a chain of "ceneral merchandise stores" (or Hypermarket) and the largest of its type in Japan Sogo Co Ltd (株式会社そごう) is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. All of these foreign stores must join ventures with local partners.

Many of home grown department store chains include Parkson, Giant, Metrojaya, Cold Storage, Sunshine (SuiWah), The Store, Kamdar, Mydin, Dua Puluh Sen (DPS) etc.

According to the Malaysian chart, Dua Puluh Sen has increase their quality of standard which lead them gaining market share in the retailing industry in Malaysia. This had made DPS the leading department store in Malaysia and also South East Asia.


Flag of Mexico Mexico
Mexico has a number of department stores, including the Mexican chains Liverpool, El Palacio de Hierro, Suburbia, Sanborns, Sears Mexico. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Liverpool ( El Puerto de Liverpool SAB de CV) is the biggest chain of Department stores in Mexico, operating over 60 stores throughout Mexico and continuing El Palacio de Hierro ( El Palacio de Hierro SA de CV) ( English: The Iron Palace) is an upscale chain of Department stores in Mexico Sears Roebuck de México is a department store chain located in Mexico, operating more than 55 stores all over Mexico There are also foreign stores such as JCPenney}


Flag of New Zealand New Zealand

The Smith & Caugheys store building on Queen Street, Auckland.
The Smith & Caugheys store building on Queen Street, Auckland. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Smith & Caughey's is a mid-sized Department store chain in New Zealand, and is considered to be a top-range store The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country

In New Zealand, there is only a few select department stores that are popular amongst New Zealanders, most people preferring malls or botiques. The most prominent chains are The Warehouse, Farmers and Kmart, but smaller, more upmarket department stores such as Smith & Caugheys exist, but the only store is in Auckland, and caters to an upscale crowd. The Warehouse, ( founded by Stephen Tindall in 1982 is the largest Department store Retailer operating in New Zealand. The Farmers Trading Company operates 56 Department stores and three homestores in New Zealand. Kmart Australia is a discount department store chain that operates in Australia (and New Zealand trading as Kmart New Zealand Smith & Caughey's is a mid-sized Department store chain in New Zealand, and is considered to be a top-range store The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country


Flag of Panama Panama
Panama's first department stores such as Bazaar Francés, La Dalia and La Villa de Paris started as textile retailers at the turn of the nineteenth century. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Later on in the twentieth century these eventually gave way to stores such as Felix B. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Maduro, Sarah Panamá, Figali, Danté, Sears, Gran Morrison and smaller ones such as Bon Bini, Cocos, El Lider, Piccolo and Clubman among others. Of these only Felix B. Maduro (usually referred to as Felix by locals) and Danté remain strong. All the others have either folded or declined although Cocos has managed to secure a good position in the market. Today major department stores aside from these two include Steven's and Collin's. There are also many discount department stores such as Conway which includes a furniture and decoration department named Conway Design, La Onda, Dorian's, Saks, Madison Store and El Titan among others.


Flag of the Philippines Philippines
The Philippines' has many, many department stores. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP They alread existed for quite some time, but it was through Malls that granted the public easier access to the Department Stores as well as sense of cleanliness, trust, and security. The SM Supermalls and the Robinsons Malls are two of the country's most popular malls, all of which has Department Store sections. SM Supermalls, owned by SM Prime Holdings Inc, is the largest chain of shopping malls in the Philippines, having 28 malls across the country and four branches in Robinsons Malls is the second largest Shopping mall and retail operator in the Philippines.


Flag of Portugal Portugal
Portugal have two department stores operated by El Corte Inglés, one in Lisbon Metropolitan Area, other in Porto Metropolitan Area. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. El Corte Inglés (lit The English Cut, implying in Spanish The English Dress Style) is Spain 's largest Department store chain owner of Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( Portuguese: Área Metropolitana de Lisboa, or AML) is a territorial zone that includes 18 municipalities ( Concelhos The Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto is a metropolitan area in coastal northern Portugal which covers 14 municipalities including the City of Porto, making In Portugal, Department stores don't reach all the country because of success of supermarkets chains like Modelo, owned by Sonae, Intermarche and Pingo Doce owned by Jeronimo Martins. Sonae ( is a conglomerate, and is the largest private employer in Portugal with a strong appeal to senior managers and young graduates Les Mousquetaires is the parent company of various shop chains there are various brands Pingo Doce is the largest Supermarket chain in Portugal, owned by Jerónimo Martins. Jerónimo Martins (JM is a Portuguese company that operates in food distribution and consumer products manufacturing


Flag of the Netherlands The Netherlands

Flagship branch of Dutch department store De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam.
Flagship branch of Dutch department store De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands De Bijenkorf (literally The Beehive is a chain of Upmarket Department stores in The Netherlands with its Flagship store on Dam Square

The most well-known department stores in The Netherlands are De Bijenkorf, HEMA, Maison de Bonneterie and Vroom & Dreesmann. De Bijenkorf (literally The Beehive is a chain of Upmarket Department stores in The Netherlands with its Flagship store on Dam Square HEMA redirects here See HEMA (disambiguation for other uses Historical European Martial arts are Martial arts of European origin Maison de Bonneterie is an upscale Department store in The Netherlands with Flagship stores in Amsterdam and The Hague and a smaller Vroom & Dreesmann (also known as V&D is a Dutch chain of Department stores founded in 1887 by Willem Vroom and Anton Dreesmann


Flag of Thailand Thailand
The most popular department stores in Thailand are Central Department Store which are managed by Central Group. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Central Group of Companies is a family-owned conglomerate holding company in Thailand that is involved in retailing, real estate, Hotels The Central Group of Companies is a family-owned conglomerate holding company in Thailand that is involved in retailing, real estate, Hotels These are the list of department stores in Thailand


Flag of Russia Russia

The GUM facade faces Red Square.
The GUM facade faces Red Square. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Central Group of Companies is a family-owned conglomerate holding company in Thailand that is involved in retailing, real estate, Hotels Mal T-cell differentiation protein-like, also known as MALL, is a human Gene. The Central Group of Companies is a family-owned conglomerate holding company in Thailand that is involved in retailing, real estate, Hotels Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Red Square ( Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad) is the most famous City square in Moscow, and arguably one of the most

Arguably the most famous Department store in Russia is the GUM in Moscow, Central Universal Store (TsUM) or the Petrovsky Passage. Main Department Store or GUM (ГУМ pronounced as goom, in full Главный Универсальный Магазин, Glavnyi Universalnyi Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Petrovsky Passage (Петровский Пассаж is an elite Department store opened on Petrovka Street in downtown Moscow in 1906 Other popular stores are Mega (shopping malls), Stockmann, Marks & Spencer. Media Markt, M-video, Technosila, White Wind (Beliy Veter) sell large number of electronic devices. In Saint Petersburg there is The Passage extremely popular. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River The Passage ( Russian: Пассаж, Passazh) is an elite Department store on Nevsky Avenue in Saint Petersburg,


Flag of Singapore Singapore
Most department stores are clustered around Orchard Road in Singapore. Singapore Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and Entertainment hub of the City-state. Singapore The most well-known department stores in Singapore are BHG (formally known as Seiyu), Isetan, John Little, Marks & Spencer, Metro, Mustafa, OG, Robinson & Co., Takashimaya and Tangs. is a Japanese operator of Supermarkets shopping centers and Department stores In addition to its Japanese operations Seiyu also has department stores operating ( unlisted on March 26 2008) is a Japanese department store. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and East Asia including John Little is a chain of Department stores in Singapore. Established in 1845 John Little is the oldest department store in Singapore Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Mustafa Centre is Singapore 's only 24-hour Shopping mall, which is located on Syed Alwi Road in Little India. According to several books of the Old Testament, Og (ɒg or /ɔːg/ meaning "gigantic" עוג - /ʕog/ was an ancient Amorite king of Bashan Robinson & Co Limited is a Retail company which has Department stores in Singapore and Malaysia. ( is a large Japanese department store chain Founded in 1829 in Kyoto by Iida Shinshichi as a retailer of used clothing and cotton cloth the Tangs is a Company that specialises in the Retail market, selling goods to customers Some of their branch outlets can also be found in the sub-urban shopping malls.


Flag of South Korea South Korea

The three most prevalent chains are Hyundai, Lotte, and Shinsegae, which opened in 1930 as Mitsukoshi Gyeongseong store and is the oldest department store chain. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Hyundai Department Store Lotte Department Store ( Hangul:롯데백화점 Kana:ロッテ百貨店 is a Korean Retail company established in 1979 and headquartered in Shinsegae (신세계 is a South Korean Department store franchise, along with several other businesses headquartering in Seoul, South Korea Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ( unlisted on March 26 2008 is an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Lotte is the largest, operating more than 20 stores. Lotte Department Store ( Hangul:롯데백화점 Kana:ロッテ百貨店 is a Korean Retail company established in 1979 and headquartered in


Flag of Spain Spain
Following the 2002 closure by the Australian group Partridges of their SEPU (Sociedad Espanol de Precios Unicos) department store chain, which in fact was Spain's oldest, the market is now dominated by El Corte Inglés, founded in 1934 as a drapery store. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. SEPU or Sociedad Española de Precios Únicos was Spain's oldest Department store group El Corte Inglés (lit The English Cut, implying in Spanish The English Dress Style) is Spain 's largest Department store chain owner of El Corte Inglés stores tend to be vast buildings, selling a very broad range of products and the group also controls a number of other retail formats including discount store 'Hipercor'. El Corte Inglés (lit The English Cut, implying in Spanish The English Dress Style) is Spain 's largest Department store chain owner of Other competitors such as 'Simago' and 'Gallerias Preciados' closed in the 1990s, however El Corte Inglés, faces major competition from French discount operators such as Carrefour and Auchan. El Corte Inglés (lit The English Cut, implying in Spanish The English Dress Style) is Spain 's largest Department store chain owner of Carrefour SA ( (karˈfur is a French international Hypermarket chain with a global network of outlets Auchan (Pronounced Óh-shon SA is a French international retail group and Multinational corporation headquartered in Croix, France.


Flag of Sweden Sweden
The largest department store chain in Sweden is Åhléns, which operates stores throughout the country. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Åhléns is a Swedish chain of department stores located in almost every city in the country and with several stores in the major cities - there are 18 Åhléns stores in Its flagship Stockholm store, Åhléns City, is the largest department store in Sweden. ('stɔkhɔlm is Sweden 's Capital and its largest City. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the Other large stores are Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm and Gothenburg, and PUB in Stockholm. Nordiska Kompaniet (colloquially NK, and literally The Nordic Company) is the name of two Department stores located in Stockholm and Gothenburg ( Swedish:) /jœte'bɔrj/ is a city, a municipality, and an urban area on the west-coast of Sweden. PUB is a major department store in Stockholm, Sweden, located in two buildings at Hötorget.


Flag of Switzerland Switzerland
The Swiss retail market is dominated by two consumers' cooperatives, Migros and Coop, which also run department stores. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation A consumers' cooperative is a Cooperative business owned by its customers for their mutual benefit. Migros (ˈmiɡro is one of Switzerland 's largest enterprises its largest Supermarket chain and largest employer Coop (pronounced 'kohp' is a Swiss Cooperative which operates the second largest Supermarket chain in Switzerland after Migros. Migros operates 12 upscale Globus department stores and 34 mid-range Migros MMM centers across the country. Globus is a Swiss Department store company with 12 department stores in Switzerland. Since the acquisitions of EPA in 2002, Coop operates its mid-range department stores under the brand Coop City. Manor operates department stores throughout the country. Manor AG is a Swiss Department store chain majoring in sales from groceries to electrical appliances Jelmoli and Loeb operate upscale department stores in Zurich and Berne respectively. Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal


Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Most of the early department stores in London started out as small drapery stores which bought up neighbouring stores and increased their range of products. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Drapery refers to Cloths or Textiles ( Old French drap, from Late Latin drappus) used for decorative purposes--such on windows--or to

The exterior of Harrods in London.
The exterior of Harrods in London.

However, Kendals in Manchester can lay claim to being the oldest department store in the UK and perhaps in the world. Beginning as a small shop owned by S. and J. Watts in 1796, its sold a variety of goods. Kendal Milne and Faulkner purchased the business in 1835. Expanding the space, rather than use it as a typical warehouse simply to showcase textiles, it became a vast bazaar. Serving Manchester's upmarket clientel for over 200 years, it was recently purchased by the House of Fraser - although most Mancunians still refer to it as Kendals.

In Edinburgh, Jenners saw a similar development. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Jenners Department Store, commonly known simply as Jenners, is a Department store located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It starting as a drapery store in 1838, which by 1890 had grown into Scotland's largest retail store by gobbling up all the small stores in the neighbourhood. Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In 1895, after a devastating fire, a new ultra-modern building opened, with lavish electrical lighting, hydraulic lifts and air conditioning. Four hours after the grand opening, 25,000 people had already visited the store.

In the UK the term "department store" still refers to the traditional, classic department store, which has a wide range of independent departments with their own staff and their own tills. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A cash register is a mechanical or electronic device for calculating and recording sales transactions and an attached Cash drawer for storing Currency. Large discount stores with the tills located by the entrance are not regarded as department stores in the UK, although the owners may call them that. Such stores as Marks & Spencer, Britain's largest clothes retailer would therefore not be included in the British definition of a department store. Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30


Flag of the United States United States

The Macy's flagship department store in New York City with its famous brownstone at 34th and Broadway.
The Macy's flagship department store in New York City with its famous brownstone at 34th and Broadway. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed The City of New York

In the United States, companies such as Macy's, Lord and Taylor, Sears, and J.C. Penney are considered department stores, while retail brands such as Target, Kmart, and Wal-Mart are discount department stores. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed Lord & Taylor, based in New York, New York, is the oldest upscale Department store chain in the United States. Sears Roebuck and Company, commonly known as Sears, is an American mid-range chain of International Department stores founded by Richard J C Penney Company Inc ( most commonly known today by the name JCPenney or simply Penneys) is a mid-range chain of American Department stores Target Corporation ( is an American Retailing company that was founded in Minneapolis Minnesota in 1902 Kmart (sometimes spelled as " K-Mart " is a chain of department stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and Burlington Coat Factory are stores that sell designer goods at lower prices. TJ Maxx (sometimes referred to as TJ's or TJ) is a chain of American Department stores owned by TJX Companies Marshalls Inc, is a chain of American Department stores owned by TJX Companies. Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national Department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes with over 360 stores in 42 states (as of 2006 Stores that carry a general line of groceries and other product lines similar to those of department stores are considered warehouse clubs or supercenters. Warehouse clubs require a nominal annual membership fee, while supercenters do not. Costco, BJ's Wholesale Club, and Sam's Club are examples of warehouse clubs. Costco Wholesale Corporation ( is the largest membership Warehouse club chain in the world based on sales volume headquartered in Issaquah Washington, BJ's Wholesale Club Inc ( is a membership-only Warehouse club chain operating on the United States East Coast, as well as in the state of Ohio. Sam's Club is an American chain of membership-only retail Warehouse clubs Founded in 1983 it is owned and operated by Wal-Mart Stores Inc

Types of department stores


Upscale Department Store
Characteristics of a typical upscale department store may include:

Some upscale department stores that operate in the United States include national chains like Barneys New York, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as regional retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, and formerly Marshall Field's. Barneys New York is a chain of department stores headquartered in New York City headed by Judy Collinson EVP and GMM of the Women's Division and Tom Kalendarian EVP and GMM for the Men's Lord & Taylor, based in New York, New York, is the oldest upscale Department store chain in the United States. Neiman Marcus is an upscale specialty retail Department store, operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. Saks Fifth Avenue is an upscale American Department store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. Bergdorf Goodman is a major world-renowned luxury goods Department store based in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Marshall Field's ( Marshall Field & Company) was an iconic Chicago Illinois, Department store that grew to become a major chain before being acquired In the United Kingdom, department stores making up the high-end include the famous Harvey Nichols, the world-famous Harrods in Knightsbridge and Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly. Harvey Nichols ("Harvey Nicks" founded in 1813 is an Upmarket Department store chain Harrods is a Department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. Fortnum & Mason, often shortened to just "Fortnum's", is possibly one of the most famous stores in the world has held many Royal Warrants for over Piccadilly is a major London street running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east


Mid-Scale Department Stores
Depending upon location, Belk, Bloomingdale's, Dillard's, Macy's, Nordstrom and Von Maur are sometimes considered upscale department stores, but the chains overall are often viewed as being situated somewhere between midscale and higher midscale. Bloomingdale's (or Bloomie's) is a chain of upscale American Department stores owned by Macy's Inc This article is about a Department store chain For The Dillards a Progressive bluegrass band see The Dillards. Macy's is a chain of mid-range American Department stores Its Flagship store in Herald Square, New York City has been billed Nordstrom Inc ( is an upscale Department store chain in the United States. Von Maur is an upscale specialty Department store chain with virtually all stores located in the Midwestern United States.


Mid-Range Department Store
Characteristics of a mid-range department store may include:


Comparison to Upscale Department Store

Mid-range department stores that operate in the United States include national chains JCPenney and Kohl's. J C Penney Company Inc ( most commonly known today by the name JCPenney or simply Penneys) is a mid-range chain of American Department stores Kohl's Corporation ( is an American Department store chain headquartered in Menomonee Falls Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. Regional chains such as Gottschalks and Mervyns in the western United States, and The Bon-Ton and associated stores in the northern part of the country are also among this grouping of stores. Gottschalks is a middle-tier American Department store chain currently operating 58 department stores and three specialty apparel stores in six western states Mervyns is an American Department store chain based in Hayward California. The Bon-Ton Stores Inc ( is a regional department store company based in York Pennsylvania, chiefly operating 269 department stores in 23 states throughout the northern

As noted in details of upscale department stores, Macy's, Dillard's and Belk vary in price points and relative consideration as upscale or mid-range versus local competitors, depending upon location. Some larger locations in affluent areas often carry significant selections of brand name products including brand name accessories and fragrances kept in glass cases, and usually have cosmetic specialists in the beauty department. Brands at above-average price points, if offered at all, are generally limited and full product lines of such brands are not typically available. Smaller and more remote store locations — often, the legacy of acquisitions of smaller retailers — may concentrate squarely on moderately-priced merchandise. California-based Gottschalks mirrors these chains, though in a specific region with little presence in major metropolitan areas. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Macy's are typically the anchors of upscale malls and are situated among other high-end department stores such as Tysons Galleria or The Domain in Austin. Tysons Galleria is an upscale three-level shopping mall owned by General Growth Properties located at 2001 International Drive McLean Virginia, in Tysons Corner The Domain is a high-density business retail and residential center operated by Simon Property Group and Endeavor Real Estate Group, and is located in the high-tech Nationally known JCPenney has incorporated elements of upscale stores such as salons and custom home decorating services, along with offering optical shops, portrait photography studios and designer-produced private labels.

The national chain Sears is also in this category, but often is considered a lower grade mid-range department store due to marketing a higher proportion of private label and lesser-known label goods in apparel and housewares segments. Sears Roebuck and Company, commonly known as Sears, is an American mid-range chain of International Department stores founded by Richard Sears differs from most mid-range department store chains in its common inclusion of departments for hardware, garden and outdoor equipment, automotive service, and large appliances and electronics — product segments more typical of discount or so-called "big box" retailers.


Discount Department Store/Super-Store

Main articles: discount store and hypermarket


Comparison to Mid-Range Department Stores

Some discount department stores that operate in the United States include: ShopKo, Kmart and Wal-Mart. Shopko (formerly ShopKo until May 2007 is a chain of retail stores based in Ashwaubenon Wisconsin, outside of Green Bay, behind Bay Park Square Kmart (sometimes spelled as " K-Mart " is a chain of department stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores Although Shop Ko and Kmart are more upscale than Wal-Mart; further, Wal-Mart could be considered a "super discount department store". Target is also in this category but may be considered a more upscale Discount Department Store because it puts a greater emphasis on current fashion and on special merchandise lines from well-known designers such as Isaac Mizrahi and Thomas O'Brien. Target Corporation ( is an American Retailing company that was founded in Minneapolis Minnesota in 1902 Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) is an American Fashion designer Biography Mizrahi was born in Brooklyn New York


Off-Price Retailer

Off-price retail department stores include T.J. Maxx, Factory 2-U, Century 21, Gabriel Brothers, Ross Dress For Less, Marshalls, and Burlington Coat Factory. TJ Maxx (sometimes referred to as TJ's or TJ) is a chain of American Department stores owned by TJX Companies Factory 2-U is a chain of Department stores that are located mostly in the Western United States selling Clothing, domestics and Merchandise Century 21 is a chain of Department stores All of its merchandise is sold less than the usual department store price Gabriel Brothers, commonly called "Gabe's" is a regional chain of closeout retail stores selling brand-name merchandise at significant discounts from typical Department Ross Stores Inc is a chain of American off-price Department stores It is the nation's third largest off-price retailer (behind T Marshalls Inc, is a chain of American Department stores owned by TJX Companies. Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national Department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes with over 360 stores in 42 states (as of 2006 TJX, the parent company of Marshall's and TJ Maxx, has been experimenting with Home Goods superstores that carry a larger range and variety of housewares, including furniture. [2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Brigg's, Asa: Friends of the people (The Centenary History of LEWIS'S); 1956
  2. ^ About Home Goods Retrieved June 16, 2007

External links

A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International

Dictionary

department store

-noun

  1. A large shop containing many different departments each of which deals in different goods or services.
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