Manchester, Market Street 1889

Photo ref: 21900

More about this scene

Here we see Lewis's large and very ornate store at the top of Market Street, just four years after the death of its founder David Lewis in 1885. The store advertised nine floors of business, but as the last three floors were in the towers I think that was an example of over-advertising. But then that was one of Lewis's innovations: David Lewis was the very first to mass advertise. He took large advertisements in emerging newspapers and printed his prices openly. He was the first to print penny readers for adults and juveniles with the company name on the front and back of the book, and the first to sell cheaply those exercise books with times tables on the back. He worked on the principle of 'cash only'; while others all round him gave credit, he promoted the slogan 'save for it, and save money'. He was cheaper than his rivals because his profit margins were lower. He started the 'pile it high, sell it cheap' philosophy. Successful and astute businessmen as they were, both David Lewis and John Ryland poured massive amounts of money back into the community and to local charities. David Lewis built Boys' Clubs and Community Centres all over the north-west. John Ryland created shelters for the homeless, supported soup kitchens, and gave money and support to hundreds of charities in Manchester, many times anonymously.

An extract from Manchester Photographic Memories.