Welcome to Beatties Department Store




			As the business expanded during the early 20th Century, it became necessary to move away from using available space typified by the small shops used when Beatties started. In the 1920's, local Wolverhampton based architects Lavender, Twentyman and Percy were commisioned to design the building that exists on the current Victoria Street site. The store continued to expand over the next few decades and eventually took over the disinctive Burton building from the same era that forms the corner of Victoria and Darlington Street. Part of the Burton house style in the 1930's was to include animal motifs at the top of the columns that formed the facades of their buildings. The Wolverhampton store got elephants! As a prime example of Art Deco period architecture, the whole site was locally listed in the year 2000. (Thank you to the Wolverhampton History and Heritage Society for this information and some of the images used on this page.)

	Beatties Aylesbury Beatties Birkenhead Beatties Burton Beatties Dudley Beatties Huddersfield Beatties Northampton Beatties Solihull Beatties Sutton Coldfield Beatties Telford Beatties Wolverhampton Beatties Worcester	Beatties was founded in 1877 in the form of a small drapers shop in Victoria Street, Wolverhampton. With a capital of only £300, the 'Victoria Draper Supply Store' was opened. The founder, Mr. James Beattie, began the business with two assistants. By 1895, he had a staff of forty and an annual turnover of £30,000. The assistants lived on the premises and earned an annual salary of £60. Fire gutted the premises in 1896, causing between £8,000 and £10,000 worth of damage. This led to the relocation and expansion of the business on to the other side of Victoria Street, on what is part of the present site. The business prospered, leading to the introduction of merchandise other than drapery, the start of a department store format. In 1901, Mr. Beattie decided that as room was needed for expansion, the staff should all live off the premises. The business formed into a limited company in the 1920's under the control of Mr. Beattie and continued to grow, steadily expanding into neighbouring property. Mr. Beattie, the founder, died in 1934 and his grandson, James Beattie, joined the Company in the same year, becoming Company Secretary in 1938, a Director in 1939 and was appointed Joint Managing Director in 1948. Beatties took a major step forward in 1954, when it extended the sale of shares in the Company to the public, bringing the status of a PLC. The shares entitled holders to the right to a guaranteed level of dividend as a return on their financial investment. However, control over the Company remained with the family shareholders. In 1958, Beatties became the first store in the country to offer plastic cards as a method of payment. James Beattie was appointed Chairman and Managing Director in 1961. The Birkenhead store opened in 1963 followed by Solihull (1966), Dudley (1969), Sutton Coldfield (1974) and Northampton (1975). In August 1988, James Beattie died at the age of 75, after retiring to become Honorary President in 1987. Towards the end of 1989, a £3million facelift was completed in the Wolverhampton store. This included the introduction of escalators and wider walkways. A new store was opened in Burton upon Trent in 1990, followed by another in Worcester, trading on four floors in 1992. The Wolverhampton store was also extended in 1992 and a ninth store opened in Aylesbury in September 1993. In 1995, the Board announced proposals for the enfranchisement of the listed shares, whereby the family gave up their controlling interest in the Company. These proposals received the support of shareholders and, as a result of the exercise, all shares carry equal voting rights, with no individual group of shareholders having control of the Company. During 1998/99 Beatties announced that it would be embarking on an expansion programme. Existing stores at Wolverhampton, Solihull and Northampton were extended during the period 1999 to 2001. Three new stores have also been opened in Huddersfield (March 2002) and Telford (September 2003). This expansion (Store Expansion) added over 50% to the Company's retail selling space and represents a £28million capital investment.




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