My love of Fenwicks!

Fenwicks has long since been my favourite shop!
I really love the beautiful building. This photo is of the main shop front on Northumberland Street, with its classical columns. Below this are the large windows which have extravagant Christmas displays that attract a queue of children at least half a mile long. I remember queuing as a kid, for what seemed like hours, in the cold to see the Christmas fairy tails on display each year.
I also think the entrance on Blackett Street is beautiful with its Art Deco curved edges.

I recently gave a new colleague, from London, a guided around Newcastle and showed her Fenwicks. She told me that there is one in London too so I wrongly assumed that ours was a branch. I have since learned that, in fact, Fenwicks in Newcastle is the original store and headquarters and remains one of the largest department stores in the UK. It was only later that Fenwicks took over 10 further (smaller) department stores.

I was interested to read that Fenwicks opened in 1882, when John James Fenwick took over a doctors house, in the then residential Northumberland Street, and converted it into a shop. Over the years, his son joined the business and he purchased surrounding property making his store larger and larger until it expanded into the department store it is today.

It is one of the special places in the North of England, where you can find luxury products that you might previously had to get from London. It has an extensive food hall including a wine and spirits department that has special products that you won't find elsewhere locally. There are TEN cafés/restaurants inside including a cute 1950s style American dinner.

Tonight, I went shopping after work with my mam and enjoyed just having a wander around Fenwicks. I think I could quite happily live in there!

http://www.fenwick.co.uk/about-fenwick/history