Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street

Title: High Street Giants: A Nostalgic Look at Britain’s Golden Age of Chain Stores

Familiar multiples like Boots, Burton’s, Marks & Spencer, and Woolworth’s – plus a host of smaller chains – forged the character of Britain’s high streets in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Multiple retailing was a supremely successful phenomenon, loved by thrifty shoppers but feared by independent competitors. It is explored here through the lens of its shops and stores, which are generously i…