Curl Brothers

{{Short description|Former department store in Norwich}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use British English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = Curl Brothers | logo = | caption = | type = Private company | foundation = 1860 | defunct = 1973 | location = Norwich | industry = Retail | key_people = | fate = Bought by Drapery Trust | genre = Department store | num_employees = | successor = Debenhams | parent = Debenhams | website = | subsid = }} '''Curl Brothers''' were a department store based in Norwich. The store later became part of the Debenhams chain.

==Early history== In 1860, three brothers from the Norfolk village of East Winch joined the drapery business of Buntings (a fellow department store lost by the bombing in the Second World War - now the site of Marks & Spencer).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/norwich-shops-4/|title=NORWICH SHOPS (4)|work=joemasonspage|accessdate=1 November 2014}}</ref> This partnership did not last long, and later that year they purchased the Rampant Horse Inn, converting it into shops and a warehouse. By 1900, the store had expanded taking on further nearby properties.<ref name="heritagecity1">{{cite web|url=http://www.heritagecity.org/research-centre/industrial-innovation/curls-of-norwich.htm|title=Curls of Norwich|accessdate=1 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030194912/http://www.heritagecity.org/research-centre/industrial-innovation/curls-of-norwich.htm|archive-date=30 October 2014|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Between the World Wars, Curls was bought by Ipswich department store business Footman, Pretty & Company, which was controlled by the Drapery Trust.<ref>{{cite book|title=Listing Statements of the New York Stock Exchange|volume=53|date=1928|page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite periodical|title=Footman, Pretty and Company|periodical=New Dawn|date=1949|page=534}}</ref><ref>{{cite periodical|title=Footman, Pretty & Company|periodical=The Stock Exchange Official Year-book|date=1944|page=1138}}</ref> By 1929, the store had grown to 51,000 square feet in size and included a restaurant which offered a six course lunch for two shillings and sixpence, and dominated Orford Place and Brigg Street.

==Modern History== In 1942, the store was completely destroyed by German fire bombing. The Buntings and Woolworths store suffered the same fate that night, as well as the RG Pilch sport shop, whose building was in the same block as Curl Brothers.<ref name="heritagecity1"/> Initially Jarrolds, another department store in the city allowed Curl Brothers to use their first floor <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jarrold.co.uk/about-jarrold/history/1940s-1950s|title=1940s - 1950s - Jarrold, Norwich, Norfolk|publisher=|accessdate=1 November 2014}}</ref> before they transferred to a smaller property on Westlegate handed over by Norwich Union for use by burnt out businesses.<ref name="ReferenceA">Norwich in the 1950s by Peter Goodrum</ref>

The old site lay empty, a giant hole in the middle of Norwich. It was used as both a water tank and as a car park.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Work started on rebuilding in 1953, however the work was not completed until 1956. When the new store opened it had entrances on Brigg Street, Orford Place, Red Lion Street and Rampant Horse Street and had 97,000 square foot of retail space.<ref name="heritagecity1"/>

Debenhams continued to operate the store under the Curl Brother name until the 1970s when they rationalised the brand. Debenhams closed all its stores in May 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-05-05|title=End of an era for Debenhams as final shops set to close|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56993816|access-date=2021-05-16}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Defunct department stores of the United Kingdom Category:Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom Category:Debenhams