Jeeves of Belgravia

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox company | name = Jeeves of Belgravia Ltd | image = Jeeves-logo.jpg | image_caption = | type = Private Ltd | traded_as = | genre =  | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | founded = 1969 | founder = Sydney Jacob<br />David Sandeluss | defunct =  | hq_location_city = London, England | hq_location_country = England | num_locations = | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = John Timpson<br />Will Lankston | industry = Cleaning products<br /> Cleaning services | products = | services = Dry cleaning <br /> Cleaning products | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum =  | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = | website = {{URL|https://www.jeevesofbelgravia.co.uk/}} | footnotes = | intl = }}

'''Jeeves of Belgravia''' (or '''Jeeves''') is a British multinational retailer which offers specialist dry cleaning, garment and accessories care services. The company is based in London and currently has over 30 branches in 14 cities around the world, including; London, New York, and Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jeeves Stores|url=https://www.jeevesofbelgravia.co.uk/stores/|website=Jeeves of Belgravia|access-date=28 June 2019|archive-date=5 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905144559/https://www.jeevesofbelgravia.co.uk/stores/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History== thumb|left|Jeeves of Belgravia, flagship store on Pont Street The company was founded in 1969 by Sydney Jacob and David Sandeluss.<ref>{{cite news | title =Cleaning up in Pont Street | newspaper =Evening Standard | location =London | pages = 26–27| date =June 9, 1971 | quote =David Sandeluss makes you think more of a schoolboy who has received an unexpected tuck box than of a rising tycoon. . . But even after two highly successful years, he and his partner Sydney Jacob, are still starry-eyed about the business}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://blog.jeevesofbelgravia.com/london/events/thank-you-for-your-custom-jeeves-of-belgravia-turns-50/ | title =Thank You For Your Custom - Jeeves of Belgravia Turns 50 | last =C | first =Julie | date = October 7, 2019| website =Jeeves of Belgravia | access-date =May 27, 2020 | quote =Sydney Jacob and David Sandeluss founded Jeeves of Belgravia in London in 1969. Their mission was to provide the capital’s well-dressed with the highest-quality dry cleaning and garment care services. }}</ref> After being granted permission from P.G. Wodehouse to use the Jeeves name, the pair opened a shop at 8-10 Pont Street in Belgravia, London offering a specialist dry cleaning service for luxury garments.<ref name="Pope"/> This shop in Pont Street is still the flagship shop today.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Sandeluss later sold his shares in the business to Sydney Jacob, who brought his brother Ronald Jacob into the ownership of the company.<ref name="Pope">{{cite news |last1=Pope |first1=LeRoy |title='Jeeves' aims at perfect garments |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/12223689/?terms=Jeeves%2B%22dry%2Bcleaning%22 |access-date=15 July 2019 |work=The Galveston Daily News |agency=UPI |date=24 April 1980 |location=Galveston, Texas |page=7E}}</ref><ref name="Mughal"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Meeting challenges and making friends|url=http://www.natclo.com/1811/idc.htm|website=National Clothesline|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref>

In 1980, the Jacob brothers sold Jeeves UK for £695,000 to women's clothing group Tricoville Ltd, under chairman Anthony Jacobs (no relation).<ref name="Pope"/><ref name="Mughal">{{cite news |last1=Mughal |first1=Rafiq |title=Tricoville buys Jeeves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/259461199/?terms=Jeeves%2B%22dry%2Bcleaning%22 |date=10 January 1980 |access-date=15 July 2019 |work=The Guardian |location=London, England |page=17}}</ref> At the same time, Tricoville also bought a 10% stake in Jeeves of Belgravia International, for £80,000.<ref name="Pope"/><ref name="Mughal"/> Jeeves was sold to Sketchley in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title=Board changes|url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/stream-group-plc--npt-/rns/board-changes/200307301600121296O/|website=Investegate|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> The Sketchley retail business operated its own chain of high street dry cleaners, as well as owning the SupaSnaps photo processing chain. In 1998, Sketchley was acquired by Minit Group, the international key cutting and shoe repair brand.<ref name="Mesure"/> Then in 2003, the Jeeves business was purchased by Johnson Service Group which at the time, operated the largest chain of dry cleaners in the UK – Johnson Dry Cleaners.<ref name="Mesure">{{cite news |last=Mesure |first=Susie|title=Johnson adds touch of class with Jeeves chain acquisition|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/johnson-adds-touch-of-class-with-jeeves-chain-acquisition-538375.html|work=Independent |date=12 May 2003|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> In 2017, the Timpson Group acquired the Johnson Dry Cleaners business for £8.25m, and thus acquired Jeeves of Belgravia and Jeeves International.<ref>{{cite news |last=Curry |first=Rhiannon |title=Timpson's buys Johnson's dry cleaning arm|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/01/05/timpsons-buys-johnsons-dry-cleaning-arm/|work=The Telegraph |date= 5 January 2017 |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref>

Jeeves opened its first overseas branch in New York in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |last=SLESIN |first=SUZANNE |title=A Basically British Dry Cleaner|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/22/archives/a-basically-british-dry-cleaner.html|work=The New York Times |date=22 December 1979|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> In 1994, the business opened its first branch in Hong Kong<ref name="Tatler">{{cite web|title=The dry cleaning company marks 45 years of service for high profile clients such as the British Royal Family|url=https://www.pressreader.com/china/hong-kong-tatler/20141101/283643938248758|work=Hong Kong Tatler |date=1 November 2014|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> and then in 1995 Jeeves expanded to Jakarta.<ref>{{cite web|title=IDC NEws - Jakarta Indonesia 2018|url=https://www.idcgroup.org/Images/Convention%20Brochure%20%20for%20Jakarta%20September%202018.pdf|website=International Drycleaners Congress|access-date=28 June 2019|archive-date=12 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312085516/http://idcgroup.org/Images/Convention%20Brochure%20%20for%20Jakarta%20September%202018.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> This international expansion has continued in recent years, with Jeeves now having branches in 13 countries around the world, including Philippines (Metro Manila), Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Taiwan (Taipei), UAE (Abu Dhabi), Qatar (Doha) and Turkey.<ref name="Mesure"/> Jeeves has held a royal warrant for Dry Cleaning Services to HRH The Prince of Wales for more than 30 years.<ref name="Tatler"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jeeves Royal Warrant Holders|url=https://www.royalwarrant.org/company/jeeves-belgravia-ta-jeeves|website=The Royal Warrant Holders Association|access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|https://www.jeevesofbelgravia.co.uk}}

Category:1969 establishments in England Category:British companies established in 1969 Category:Retail companies established in 1969 Category:Companies based in London Category:Retail companies of the United Kingdom Category:Dry cleaning