News
Lewis’s reveal Fifth Floor Treasures
Date:
06 May 2010
- Source: Lewis's in Ranelagh Street
Lewis’s reveal Fifth Floor Treasures for the last time…
Due to massive public interest Lewis’s, Liverpool’s Original Department store will open the doors to its famous fifth floor during May to give the general public the opportunity to view many of its hidden treasures for one last time.
The Fifth floor, which at its peak housed three restaurants and a hair salon was closed to the public in the mid eighties. Since then it has become something of an enigma with its 1950s fittings and décor making it a favourite venue for local creatives, in recent years the floor has been used as a location for film and music videos, numerous fashion shoots and more recently it was the subject of a photographic exhibition by Stephen King, which is currently running at the Conservation Centre in Whitechapel.
Angela Murray, Marketing Director said:
“The Fifth Floor of Lewis’s has always generated a great amount of interest, we last opened the floor in 2006 as part of our 150 year anniversary and we were overwhelmed by the response at one point we had over 300 people on the waiting list for the tours! We did a lot of reminiscence work with former members of staff who worked on the 5th floor in its ‘hey day’ and they really brought the floor to life for us. Everyone who visited the fifth floor had his or her own memories of the store. To lots of Liverpudlians a trip to Lewis’s Red Rose Restaurant was a real treat. We had always planned to reopen the floor for one last time before the store sadly closes in June, and with recent appearances on the BBC’s One Show, interest has almost reached fever pitch!”
“This time around we are displaying more memorabilia from the Lewis’s archive and for the first time in almost two decades we have unveiled the amazing mosaic columns and carved panelling which charts the history of Liverpool in what was The Mersey Room”
“Although this is a really emotional time for everyone associated with Lewis’s we could not let the store close without giving our customers one last chance to step back in time and share their memories with us about the bygone days in what has always been a Liverpool institution.”
Places on each tour are limited and entrance is strictly by ticket only which are now on sale at customer services on the second floor.
For further press information please contact:
Angela Murray 0151 707 4027 or email angela.murray@vergoretail.co.uk
- David Lewis arrived in Liverpool during 1839 aged sixteen and served his apprenticeship with a firm of tailors Benjamin Hyam & Company of Lord Street.
- Lewis founded his first small shop at 44 Ranelagh Street in 1856 selling men’s and boys clothing.
- Soon outgrowing the Ranelagh Street store he acquired additional premises in Bold Street.
- In 1878 David Lewis established Bon Marche in Basnett Street.
- After continuous expansion when David Lewis died in 1885 not only was his Ranelagh Street store the largest in Liverpool but also he had established new branch stores in Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham.
- The store suffered a major fire in 1886 and was virtually rebuilt following major damage during the Blitz in May 1941 after both events the store continued to trade within a matter of days.
- Lewis’s store is a City landmark famous for its risqué Epstein statue ‘Liverpool Resurgent’ known locally as ‘Dickie Lewis’ which caused uproar when it was first unveiled back in 1956.
- Throughout the intervening years Lewis’s has had several owners including Owen Owen.
- Lewis’s celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006.
- Vergo Retail announced in February 2010 that the lease under which it operates the famous store was not in a position to be renewed by landlords Merepark and the store commenced a closing down programme.
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