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Becoming A City: Business & Retail
Big department stores served Ipswich
Cribb and Foote headed the list of Ipswich retailers. When the firm celebrated its jubilee in 1899, it was well established with a large main store in Brisbane and Bell Streets, a machinery store in Nicholas Street, an agricultural implement store and a bulk warehouse. At this time, there were also branches in Lowood, Laidley, Fernvale, Gatton and Brisbane, although all except Laidley and Brisbane had been closed by 1903.
Irish retailer T.C. (Tom) Beirne started a store in the Valley in Brisbane in the late 1880s and also started a small branch in Ipswich in August 1893. Large new premises were built in 1902 for the Ipswich store on the corner of Nicholas and Union Streets. [1]
Ipswich was well-served by a number of other large local stores. including Rawlings which was started in 1898 by William Rawlings.
Others included Bayards department store, Martoo’s and Colthups furniture store. In general, Ipswich stores were owned locally and employed a relatively large number of staff. Newspaper reports indicate that their owners took part in city activities and supported the community. [2]
