Fenwick (department Store)

Fenwick (department Store)

Fenwick (founded 1882, Newcastle upon Tyne) is an independent chain of department stores in the United Kingdom. The store's founder, John James Fenwick, was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire in 1846. The original store sold only mantles, silk goods, dresses, fabrics and trimmings and did not broaden into a department store until John's eldest son Fred Fenwick joined the business in 1890. Fred had trained in retail in Paris and is said to have been inspired by Le Bon Marché, which is regarded as one of the first ever department stores.

The group has its headquarters at the original Fenwick department store in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, one of the largest department stores in the UK. Other stores are located in London (in Bond Street and Brent Cross), Leicester, York, Windsor, Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells. Fenwick acquired the Bentalls group during 2001 which at that time comprised five department stores. Three of these were subsequently sold to J E Beale with Fenwick retaining only two of the stores, in Kingston upon Thames and Bracknell. In 2007 the group further expanded by purchasing Williams & Griffin, a well regarded independent department store, in Colchester, Essex.

As of 2012, the chain is still owned by the Fenwick family and the company is chaired by Mark Fenwick. The company is reported to be valued at £452million.