House of Fraser

House of Fraser was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 and is a British department store group with more than 60 stores located in the United Kingdom and Ireland. At the time of its opening the store was called Arthur and Fraser, but by 1891 the store was called Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily, but after the Second World War, the company acquired several businesses which transformed the company into a national chain. Between 1936 and 1985, Fraser & Sons acquired over 70 companies, excluding their subsidiaries. In 1948, the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and later on the FTSE Index. In 2006, the company was acquired by Baugur and Don McCarthy and a consortium of investors.

The business was founded by Hugh Fraser and James Arthur in 1849 and served as a small drapery shop under the name Arthur and Fraser. The business continued to grow spearheaded by Hugh and James, and during the late 1850s and 1860s, the company was run by Thomas Kirkpatrick and Alexander McLaren as professional managers. In 1865, the Fraser and Arthur partnership ended, and Alexander McLaren joined the company, and the name was changed to Fraser & McLaren. After the death of Hugh Fraser in 1873, his three sons James, John, and Hugh acquired stakes in the business and in 1891 the company became known as Fraser & Sons. After the death of Hugh Fraser II in 1927, his son Hugh Fraser III became the chairman of the firm, and in 1948, the company was named House of Fraser and was listed on the London Stock Exchange.

House of Fraser is the third largest group of traditional department stores in the United Kingdom. The company has 60 stores located in town, city centers, and regional shopping centers. The company deals in high-quality products for men, women, kids, home products, electricals, toys, gifts, shoes, and boots, etc. The company’s online store is one of the fastest growing retail websites in the United Kingdom, with web sales representing 11% of the group’s sales.