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Remember the John Barnes store?!!!!!....
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Does anyone remember when there was a John Barnes on Finchley Road, my husband reckons I'm going mad as he says that the Waitrose has been there since the late 1960's - I know he's wrong! someone help me with this one please. If anyone can remember when it closed down let me know - thanks
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There was a John Barnes store where Waitrose is today until 1981 when it was divided into a Waitrose and Habitat, recently Habitat moved upto the O2 centre and Waitrose took the whole space. I remember the John Barnes store - it had 2 floors I think, my mum was always in the haberdashery department.
Gina -
Hi
Let me assure your husband that there was indeed a John Barnes store at Finchley Road, why they closed it down I will never know but I have fond memories of walking around the store (in the 60's) with my grandmother. It was there for many many years and lots of my friends can recall it, John Barnes was part of the John Lewis Partnership which includes Waitrose. -
I can add to that, I worked at the John Barnes Dept store for many years.
It was on three floors, the top two were dept store lines, and what is now the basement car park was a food hall, albeit a pretty basic one.
It was supposed to close when Brent Cross opened, but lasted as about another few years, before becoming a branch of Waitrose.
John Lewis Brent X was also originally going to be called John Barnes.
Ahh - Fond memories -
WOW ! Fond memories indeed. I worked as a Dispatch Clerk at JB in 1950 and moved rapidly up the ladder to be a Department Manager at another John Lewis store -- Peter Jones of Sloane Square -- two years later.
Decided the retail world was not for me and switched to engineering two years after that..
Moved to Canada in 1962, went back for a visit in 1975 Couldn't believe the changes around Hampstead, including the disappearance of JB.
BTW, the basement food department was one of the first in UK to switch to self-serve and everyone thought that this was the absolute end of civilization in Britain. A year later no one would have been willing to switch back to so-called personal service.
I wonder if The John Lewis Partnership is still in existance ...........
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I have the proof... was just googling the name as unknown to me & I came across your post... I am putting up a PPC (1918) of the store on eBay soon - in case anyone wants to look at the photo of the Barnes Store to take you back... (noreng2008) :-)
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John Barnes Ltd must have been there for a long time. I have some postcards from my father's family collection, which include cards between Winnie Baker and her mother in 1908. Winnie was addressed c/o John Barnes Ltd and her mother lived in Sutton, Surrey.
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I used to go there with my dad. Bernard Lee (m from bond and Jonny Lee Millers Grandad, used to take me for ice cream across the road in marine ices.)
The Bloke from the Yorkie ad used to drink tea in the cafe there too.
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I worked there, originally with what was known as the ( flying squad ) which meant helping out in different departments whenever needed.
After about a month I was offered a permanent position in the cosmetics dept. selling French Perfumes.
I remember the day it was announced that John Barnes would cease to trade, a very sad day for a lot of people, especially those who were there for many years. -
Hi,
I worked at John Barnes between 1974 and 1978 and Steve Kershaw, who is on this site, was my manager! It was my first job and I worked in the radio and tv dept.
I remember him very clearly, he was like Richard Dreyfuss...I was there when the famous storm of August 14th 1976, my birthday. I spent the evening trapped in the store instead of being out celebrating... -
John Barnes was the first true self service supermarket in this country, don't believe what Tescos say.
I know this for a fact because my Father , Charles Hennesy, was the Food Department Manager.
I am not sure of the exact date of the change from counter service but it was around 1952. -
My Mother Worked at JB between 1957 to 1967.Can any one confirm if she is entitled to a pension from JB for working this period as we were only just discussing this the other day.
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Hence why the waitrose on Finchley road is still called "Waitrose John Barnes" today. There's a big sign out in front .
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I lived in Swiss Cottage from 1965-1978 and John Barnes did indeed exist! It was an Aladdin's Cave,old type department store and I vividly remember huge rolls of fabrics,numerous buttons,sequins,ribbons etc in the haberdashery dept.Often browsed there on my way home from school when I got off tube at Finchely Road Stn.Aah....memories! Ann
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Hi dave - I remember you too, it all seems like another world now.
I left JB because couldn't get on with the then store manager Richard Jacobs, he died quite young some time ago I believe.
I went on to do many jobs after leaving JB, though not in retailing - too many to mention.
John Barnes Waitrose is one of the best Waitrose stores there is, I only wish the parking was easier - you try manouvering a Volvo V70 round the old food hall ! -
I used to visit John Barnes in the 1950s to get my feet measured in one of those x-ray machines that glowed a green light and showed up the bones in your feet, then Mum used to buy me a new pair of 'sensible' Start Rite or Clarks shoes. My aunt's best friend used to live in an apartment above or next to the store, as her husband was one of the directors of the John Lewis Partnership.
Cressida -
My great aunt and uncle lived in an apartment above John Barnes, he was the porter in the 1970's, we would visit and be taken on tours of the opulent building and views of London from the roof.. ah.....
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Hi,
I don't personally remember the John Barnes store as Im too young but my great grandfather used to supply hand painted lampshades to the store in the 1950s/60's. His business was TK Nakamura. I was wondering if anyone remembers these from the store of remembers the business he had. It too was in swiss cottage!
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Does anybody remember the swimming baths ? There were two pools, one was called the Fairfax , can't remeber the other one. I learnt to swim there during trips from school ( Clitterhouse)and we always called the pool John Barnes.
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I STARTED WORK AS THE FRESH FOOD MANAGER IN 1971IN THE FOOD HALL AT JOHN BARNES MOVING TO BRENT CROSS WHEN IT OPENED IN 1974, RETURNING TO JOHN BARNES IN 1981 AS THE MANAGER OF THE NEW WAITROSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE BUILT ON THE SITE .JOHN BARNES CLOSED ITS DOORS ON THE 6thJANUARY 1981WHERE IT HAS BEEN A LEADER IN SUPER MARKET TRADING SINCE.I RETIRED IN 1998.
P.M.R.
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Peter Hennesy, If I recall, your father Charles was then a tallish, rather portly gentleman with a somewhat jovial disposition.
I have a picture of him in my mind, impeccably dressed in his morning suit, as was mandatory attire for Department Managers at that time. I see him in heavy-framed spectacles but I cannot be sure of that. -
Hello Steve Kershaw and others. You might remember me as Richard Jacob's chess partner (sorry about that). We played most days from 2pm after a quick lunch 'til around 3:30pm when I had to get back to get my SM and team off to afternoon tea.
Usedn't you to have a healthy 'golden' beard? Didn't you run Radio/Television for a while after or before Tony Benton?
I ran Kitchenware from 1977 to 1981 (adding Furnishing Fabrics to my 'lot' in 1980) when JB closed and I transfered to Jones Brothers in Holloway.
I was there until 1986 when I ended up with more headaches in JL Bristol and stayed there until early retirement in 1997.
Good to see your name out of the blue whilst I'm skimming around Google!! -
I well remember John Barnes. We were frequent shoppers there and I well recll standing in a queue on the ground floor to pay for something with my three year old daughter by the side of me. After I had paid she was nowhere to be seen. I dashed out of the shop to check she hadn't done likewise and come to a sticky end on the busy Finchley Road but no sign. Shop floor managers raised the alarm and the entire shop was searched to no avail, She was eventually found actually in the shop window playing with a large scale toy train utterly absorbed with people outside peering in thinking it was some kind of new window display. Daughter concerned now aged 33 so this incident must have been 30 years ago- 1980. We too were sad when it closed but continue to shop there as Waitrose and agree wholeheartedly what a nightmare using the car park is- especially with a volvo. The dog legs are impossible to navigate and the pillars are like an obstacle course or some kind of slalom. Judith Vann
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This was definately a John Barnes in the 60's my father used to work there and our school clothes were purchased there. Now it has merged with John Lewis's and waitrose (under the same unrbrella) I used to love going there just as when Whiteleys in queensway not there are various stores inside it. How times has changed.
Mrs Jd -
When I was a little boy, my mother used to drag me round John Barnes in the sixties. I remember feeling excruciatingly bored in the haberdashery department but elated when I was rewarded with a plate of cold salad in the cafeteria. John Barnes was one of the places I learnt German ! My family were Jewish refugees, with my mother originating from Berlin. She would invariably come across loads of friends and acquaintances and even the odd family member there. In fact, it was very common to hear German spoken all over the store by the Jewish refugees who had made Finchley Road and Hampstead their own.
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Hi there Geoff, you have an amazing memory, yes I dd have a large golden beard, now gone as has the rest of my hair !
You are not quite correct regarding the Radio and TV dept, I was a section manager under firstly Geoff Beck and then Tony Benton.
I never reached the dizzy hights of DM.
I moved from selling radios to working in radio for many years, mostly as a broadcaster with the now defunct AA Roadwatch, doing live traffic reports on BBC and Independent radio stations.
Last time I checked, the words John Barnes had ben removed from the outside signage of the store and it had reverted back to just Waitrose.
I dont live very near to the store now so could someone please let me know if the John Barnes name is now back in its rghtfull place.
The store is, I think, one of the best Waitrose branches, certainly in London. -
I have a reply to my own question regarding the missing John Barnes signage.
According to John Barnes management the letters making up the words JOHN BARNES have been unscrewed and stolen from the front of the store !!
Apparently they are now looking at ways that the words can be fixed to the store and not removed - funny old world. -
Mrs Cawl
I do remember John Barnes department store! We were living in West Hampstead at the time (mid '70s) and went to the store often. In fact, my 21st birthday cake (a fruit flan) was bought from there. Thanks for the memory!
Mrs Tarmizi
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -
Cara's posting 17th. December 2009 could almost have been written by me! My mother worked in the Invoice Office during the war. Kilburn Grammar School was hit by a doodlebug in 1944 and the pupils used our school. Willesden County Grammar School in the afternoons. My Mother got me a job helping out on various departments in the spare time- probably to keep an eye on me! When I left school was offered a permanent post in the perfumery with a view to train under the buyer. I turned it down hoping for better things. Who knows what might have been? -
I can well remember visiting the original John Barnes with my mother in the early 30s. It was a dark red brick building, in a style that was common to the area at the time. I can also remember that the entire store was carpeted in a rather lush dark green at the time.
The present premises opened in 1935 or 1936 to great local excitement. We did not refer then to the art-deco style of architecture: it was just very "modern". I have always associated the building with the original "Queen Mary", which was launched during this period of mid-30s.
Two features appearing in the new store around 1937 or 1938 made a huge impression on my schoolboy mind. There was a Television Console with moving pictures, black and white of course, on a tiny screen in a huge cabinet. On another occasion, an intelligent robot held court on the ground floor and answered all and any questions. I asked him a silly one and was duly (and rightly) told off!