During the reign of Queen Victoria village shops expanded and became well known names, either as major shopping groups or as popular product brands, names such as Debenhams and Cow & Gate. It was also a period of travel and many items were brought into the country from distant lands, and the Great Exhibition of 1851 furthered this interest.
This work profiles the stories behind many well-known stores and banks, including: Abbey National; Burberrys; C&A; Dolland & Aitchison; Early Learning Centre; Foyles; Hatchards; Jaeger; Laura Ashley; Lloyds Bank; Marks & Spencer; John Menzies; Sketchley; Tesco; Thomas Cook; and WH Smith. Included are the facts that The Body Shop was named after an American coach works, and that Sainsbury's first shop was opened in 1869 in Drury Lane, London.