From a drapery shop to the largest department store in Sunderland. Founders George and Henry Binns opened a drapers shop in High Street in 1807 but as trade started moving westward so did Binns premises. First to Villiers Street and by 1856 to High Street West. In 1884 two houses no 38 and 39 Fawcett Street were bought and in 1888 Joseph John Binns the grandson of the founders moved into Fawcett Street, which had now been converted into a shop. In 1897 the business became a limited liability company, H. Binns. Son & Co. Ltd. To your right is the very first Binns shop in Fawcett Street with it's two beautiful ornate street lamps.
By 1900 Binns employed 30 staff and over the next twenty years they would purchase almost the rest of the block for further expansion. The floor space would total almost two acres and employ almost 400 staff. By 1920 Binns had stores throughout the North of England and Scotland. By 1921 the store was on both sides of Fawcett Street and supplying everything required for human comfort and welfare. Shop at Binns for Everything became a popular slogan and by 1924 'Shop at Binns' was a familiar sight on the Sunderland Corporation tram and bus fleets.
In 1928 an extension was built on Fawcett Street which took up part of John Street and Borough Road. In April 1941 an air raid struck the Binns store at the South West end of Fawcett Street. In November 1949 on the old site the rebuilding of a new four story building began. The new store was completed and reopened in March 1953 and a month later the The House of Fraser secured a majority shareholding in the company.
Expansion began on the opposite side of the road in 1958 and a four story building was constructed this was completed in 1962. When it was opened it featured a spiral staircase leading up to the restaurants and furniture department. It also included an underground subway which linked both sides of Binns together and shoppers could go from one store to the other without having to cross a busy road.
The subway cost £15,000 and was at the time the only subway of it's type in North East England. Due to a decline of customers in April 1989 saw the closure of the east building unfortunately this was not enough, the store could not be saved. On Saturday 30th January 1993 with the loss of 140 jobs Binns closed it's doors for good.
Binns Department Store 1941 Bombed During World War 2
Binns Department Store on Borough Road in April 1941 after being severely damaged by an enemy bombing raid. All the windows in the building were shattered by several German incendiary bombs, which also caused a massive fire to the department store. The store had to be cordoned off to protect passers by from falling glass. The east side of Fawcett Street has now been converted and is occupied by William Jameson public house, a learning centre and Sunderland Library and Art Gallery. The west side of Fawcett Street is now occupied by another department store, Wilkinson's, to carry on the tradition.
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