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John Lewis

15:47 Wed 02nd Jun 2010 |

John Lewis is now one of the top ten retailers in the UK. The brand is known for its slogan "Never Knowingly Undersold" which has been in use for 76 years. The stores are synonymous with quality goods and stock homewares, clothing, electrical, toys and sporting goods. The John Lewis Partnership also owns Waitrose.

The flagship store on Oxford Street began as a drapery shop, opened by John Lewis in 1864. In 1905 Lewis acquired a second store, Peter Jones in Sloane Square, London. His son, John Spedan Lewis, founded the John Lewis Partnership in 1920 while he was in charge of the Peter Jones Store.

Every employee is a partner in the John Lewis Partnership, and has a possibility to influence the business through branch forums, which discuss local issues at every store.

The John Lewis Partnership were the first department store group in the UK to adopt central buying, launching its own brand merchandise in 1937. Most stores feature a 'Place To Eat' self-service restaurant, offering a range of counters.

Several John Lewis stores are iconic architectural buildings, often with listed building status. This includes the flagship store on Oxford Street, London, with its Barbara Hepworth statue Winged Figure and the Peter Jones department store at the corner of Sloane Square and Kings Road.

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