SHOPPERS can enjoy a trip down memory lane as a Morpeth store celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Boots first opened a shop at 30 Bridge Street on April 13, 1937 as the company’s ‘Store 698’ and has remained in the town centre ever since.
In its opening year the chemist moved to 5-7 Bridge Street and until 1955 offered a popular Boots Booklovers Library to customers. Its final move was in 1974 when it relocated to number 41.
Today (Friday), in celebration of its landmark anniversary, the outlet will display Boots museum items, old adverts and banners, while customers spending more than £30 will receive a free gift and there will be a competition to win No7 beauty products, with money raised going to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Store Manager Lesley Stewart said: “We’re really excited about our 75th store anniversary this week at Morpeth. We have a number of events planned to mark the occasion on Friday and we’re looking forward to celebrating with both old and new customers.”
The Boot family began trading in 1849, selling herbal remedies in Nottingham. By 1900 it was advertised as the largest retail chemists in the world and by the 1930s there were more than 1,000 Boots The Chemists stores in the country, selling a wide range of products including the new No7 cosmetics range.
In 1936 the company opened its first overseas store in New Zealand.
Self-service was not introduced until the mid 1950s and emphasis was placed on personal service and expertise. Much attention was given to window displays and from the 1920s, and possibly earlier, there was a national department specialising in the displays, which created examples for stores to copy.
Today, the Morpeth shop offers health and beauty products, a pharmacy with services such as Medicines Check-up and free repeat prescription, and a ‘click and collect’ service for customers to buy products online and pick them up from the store.