Joplings Department Store

The partnership of Thomas Jopling and Joseph Tuer would be the beginning of the longest established Department Store in Sunderland. In 1804 Thomas Jopling and Joseph Tuer opened and established a drapery business at 174-178 High Street East, named Jopling & Tuer. Thomas Jopling and Joseph Tuer owned the business until it was bought in 1882 by Stephen Moriarty Swan and Robert Hedley. They traded as Hedley, Swan & Co. but the store was known as Joplings. The two story store was fully stocked and expanding, By 1900 the staff numbered 100. On the ground floor gentlemen's clothing, ready made and tailored could be found. The first floor was used for ladies clothing, household furniture and the tailors workrooms.

By 1919 the stores business had expanded so much they had to move to bigger premises. The move was made to the top of High Street West, the heart of the towns commercial district. On the day of the grand opening the police were called in to help control the crowds as Joplings decided to have the biggest half price sale Sunderland had ever seen. The store also had their own money. Joplings money was tokens that people could get and pay for over a number of weeks. You could buy a £1 token for sixteen shillings and if you were really hard up you could sell the token for real money, at a discounted price of course.

It was really not until 1930 that people referred to the store as Joplings as this was when Hedley, Swan & Co. decided to stop putting their names on any adverts for the store. The move to bigger premises also allowed the firm to expand their trade and on the top floor they opened a restaurant. The waitresses would wear green uniforms with pink pinafores on top.

In 1952 the ever expanding store became a limited company. In December of 1954 in the run up to Christmas Joplings were advertising that 'Santa Claus is Here', unfortunately he did not stay long. On the Tuesday night of 14th December there was a fire which completely destroyed the store and all of its contents, but it would take more than a fire to stop a store like Joplings.

Joplings John Street. Going back to where they had started in High Street East, Joplings were back in business within six weeks. This however was to be only a temporary move for the store, as plans were already being made to start construction on a new site for a permanent home for Joplings. The new 4 storey department store in John Street was completed and opened for business in May 1956. Built into the new store was also a first of its kind ever seen in Sunderland, an escalator which at the time could only go up. Since then Joplings have also added a clock to the outside of the building which chimes every quarter of an hour. Joplings could now be classed as the Harrods of Sunderland, the high class department store but with reasonable prices.

Joplings Santa's Grotto, Christmas 2002. With it's reasonable prices, something for everyone and friendly atmosphere Joplings was set to go on for many more years, however in 2010 Joplings owners went into administration and the old store collapsed. Sadly On Saturday 19th June 2010 after 206 years Joplings the oldest Department Store in Sunderland Tyne and Wear was closed for good.

Go to Binns Department Store