John Lewis stores John Lewis (department store founder)

1 john lewis stores

1.1 formation
1.2 further purchases
1.3 dispute baron de walden
1.4 management style

john lewis stores
formation

in 1864 john lewis opened own small drapery shop, john lewis & co., @ 132 oxford street (later renumbered), on part of same site present john lewis department store. business flourished , expanded , rebuilt in 1880s form all-encompassing department store.

further purchases

it said in 1905 john lewis walked oxford street sloane square twenty £1000 notes in pocket , bought peter jones. sales @ peter jones had been falling since 1902 , new owner failed reverse trend. in 1914 handed control of store son spedan.

dispute baron de walden

lewis engaged in protracted legal dispute ground landlord of holles street premises, lord howard de walden. litigation went through courts twenty-three years , cost lewis 40,000 pounds. @ 1 point sent brixton jail contempt of court, , de walden sued him libel following erection of placards @ stores. case settled amicably.

management style

lewis regarded autocratic employer, prone dismissing staff arbitrarily. stores had difficulty retaining staff (there strike in 1920) , performed poorly compared rivals such whiteleys, gorringes , owen owen. management style led conflict sons disagreed business methods. after death company transformed john lewis partnership, worker co-operative.