Browns Of Chester End Of An Era
What a sad day for Chester. One of Chester’s most iconic, if not THE most iconic, store closes today. In a way it’s not right to merely refer to Browns of Chester as a store. It represented a lot more to a lot of people from far and wide. Not just Cestrians. The culture, the architecture, the history for instance. But for Cestrians especially, it is such a sad day. Today is “Browns Of Chester End Of An Era” day really.
Browns Of Chester End Of An Era
Browns of Chester has been a hugely popular and significant employer to many Cestrians for generations. Families have worked there through their own generations. It is such an integral part of Chester city centre’s landscape. And has been for so long. For how long exactly? Let’s have a brief look at Browns Of Chester history.
Browns is, or we should now say, was a department store in Chester city centre, established in 1780 by Susannah Brown. The store has traded from its current site on Chester’s Eastgate Street since 1791. That is incredible. So much history. An amazing 230 years of heritage and nostalgia all coming to an end today.
Harrods Of The North
Once regarded as the “Harrods of the North“, the interior contained many ornate features such as glass domed roofs and elaborate plaster work surrounding small chandeliers in the main entrance area. Some of the glass roof on the second floor has been hidden as it has been covered by the construction of the third floor extension containing the main Café and Kalmora Spa. However, it could still be seen by carefully looking through the suspended ceiling covering it.
Anyway, it’s wrong to call it “The Harrods Of The North” as Harrods should be referred to as the “Browns Of The South”
The oldest part of the store is housed in the Grade I listed, Crypt Chambers. This historic part of the store was designed by T.M. Penson and incorporated Georgian, Tudor and Gothic facades. The construction of the store was completed in 1858. Chester is famous for so many features and for so many historic attractions. One of which is the famous Chester Rows. The Brown’s store incorporates part of the Chester Rows.
On the front of the tower at Row level is a blank scroll. While on the east face is a recessed panel containing the initials W. B. (meaning William Brown). You can see on the west face the initials C. B. (this stands for Charles Brown) and on the rear face is a scroll inscribed “AD 1858: Crypt Chambers.”
Debenhams
The Gothic facade frontage is built over a medieval undercroft, which dates back to the 12th century. The undercroft currently contains The Tea Press tea room. Another extension to the building was completed in 1965 to link Browns to the nearby Grosvenor shopping centre. A new three story extension was built in 2002 on the site formerly occupied by the offices of the Chester Chronicle.
Browns was acquired by Debenhams in 1976. It is the only store in the Debenhams group to retain its own trading name alongside the standard ‘Debenhams’ branding.
Browns Of Chester – Such History
Just from those few paragraphs above, what history. It means so much to Chester people. So much so, huge queues were forming this morning before the store opened for the last time. The queue, I believe, was snaking a long way down Foregate Street in both directions.
Anyone who visited Browns of Chester will have their own memories. For me, initially, it was the sheer size of it. The creaky, wooden floor boards and the fresh smells emanating out from the many perfume counters. Even if you didn’t go in to specifically buy something, it was always worth a wander into Browns to have a mooch around, simply because it was Browns.
I also well remember the bus stop used to be right outside the steps in Eastgate Street. My lasting memory of that was grabbing an Echo Pink on a Saturday tea time for the footie results and joining the bus queue right in front of the steps. Now and then peeping through the Eastgate Clock arch to see if your bus was heading along.
As I say, everyone will have their own Browns of Chester memories. Those that worked there will have many more no doubt.
Thanks for the memories Browns Of Chester. And thanks for the memories to all the Browns Of Chester staff from down the years.
Browns Of Chester – What Next?
Just a quick mention of this insofar as to say I understand that there are some ideas in the melting pot. This article in Cheshire Live HERE will give you more information on the latest situation. I, like many others, have some of my own thoughts. Let’s hope the plans are transparent and that there is an opportunity for local residents to not only have their say, but to have their say listened to.
The future of Browns is for another article really. This post is one to pay tribute to the historic building, the institution, the staff and the memories for so many years.
Chester Lifestyle Blog Posts
Thank you for reading my latest blog post – Browns Of Chester End Of An Era – and many thanks for visiting my Chester Lifestyle website. It is very much appreciated. To see all of my other posts on a variety of topics, then head on over to HERE.
Please Note
I earn commissions from Amazon for any qualifying purchases made from my Chester Lifestyle website.
By clicking the image below, or the product links below that, you will be taken through to Amazon where you can search and shop safely and securely to your heart’s content. Many thanks.
Shop Safely And Securely From Amazon
In this current climate and the need to look after ourselves a bit more, carefully check out these special feature products…….
