With it’s neo-Gothic facade and it’s location, directly opposite the Scott Monument, you just can’t miss it. Luckily, for those who’ve had difficulty in spotting it, there’s an optician in-house!
JENNERS is the oldest independent department store in the world, having occupied its original location on Princes Street, Edinburgh, since 1838. It is home to well over 100 different departments, which sell everything from international designer fashion to locally produced Scottish crafts.
* A SHORT HISTORY *
Charles Jenner and Charles Kennington were sacked after they skipped work to attend Musselburgh Races, so they decided to set up their own drapery store. On 1st May 1838, ‘Kennington & Jenner’ open their doors for business. By 1890, Charles Jenner & Co. expanded on Princes St and also occupied nos 2-16 South St. David’s Street. The store was by then the largest retail shop in Scotland.
On 26th November 1892, a fire destroyed the store. The building and all its contents were destroyed but the Jenners factory on neighbouring Rose Street was adapted into a temporary store.
The new store was formally re-opened on 8th March 1895 and was well ahead of its time with electrical lighting, hydraulic lifts and air conditioning.
Throughout the 20th century, Jenners continued to be the prime department store in Edinburgh with continual modernisation and enlargements helping it to maintain this position.
In 2002, Jenners opened a new store at Loch Lomond Shores, the gateway to Scotland’s first National Park. They also operate an outlet at Edinburgh Airport.
Jenners is a veritable Aladdin’s cave with a basement, lower ground floor, ground floor and mezzanine level and a further 6 floors of shopping opportunities.
Because of it’s lay-out, it can be easy to lose your way around the different departments but every turn unfolds new delights.
From the basement – where you will find one of the best toy departments anywhere – up through the levels of everyday items, designer wear, exclusive beauty products, luxury goods, gifts and home furnishings etc., to the food hall – where they stock some of the finest gourmet lines, from the most expensive caviar to bread freshly baked on site, you can find just about anything your heart (or palate) desires.
Christmas is probably the best time to visit as their displays are second to none. In the main hall, which is in the style of an open courtyard with 4 floors of balconies surrounding the glass-roofed emporium, stands a huge Christmas tree with all the attendant decorations adding up to a truly seasonal scene.
Of course, it’s not a cheap shop, so don’t go there expecting any cut-price bargains. Having said that, I don’t think you’ll find other shops selling equivalent merchandise to be any less expensive. They don’t overcharge, it’s more of a case that they tend to stock items from the higher end of the market.
Jenners has been called the Harrods of Scotland. I wouldn’t know about that, but I do know that, unlike Al Fayed’s little concern, or as I like to call it, the Jenners of England, I’ve never heard of anybody being refused entry because of the way they are dressed.
You don’t have to be rich to shop here, and they’ve even been known to let a scruffy nonentity such as myself breeze through and give Mr Visa a severe workout.
A frightening thing occurred to me in Jenners just a few weeks ago. I was perusing the department where they stock collectables and crystal and such, hoping something tasteful (and yet affordable) would catch my eye – a bauble or two for the most beautiful woman on Earth (and maybe something for Mrs P as well!) As you can imagine, there are some expensive goodies on display, you know the sort of thing, ashtrays that cost a weeks wages; arty, sculpture thingys; jewel encrusted whatnots and lots of stuff without price-tags….if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.
I was calmly going about my business when a woman stepped backwards and dug her heel into my foot causing me to momentarily lose my balance and dive headlong, grabbing fresh air. For what seemed an eternity, but was in fact no more than a split-second, my whole financial future passed before me.
Luckily no damage was done but believe me, the crystal and fine china dept. of Jenners is NOT the place to wildly thrash around in.
That finished me off as far as shopping was concerned and I was in need of an immediate frothy brew to steady my nerves.
As luck would have it, leaving the rear entrance of Jenners and just a very short walk along Rose St. brings you to the Rose St. Brewery. (I remember the Saturday afternoon Jazz sessions here when it was the White Cockade) They brew their own beer on the premises and serve a very nice 80/- called Auld Reekie which…..but that’s another story.