On November 29, 1884 Joseph Rose opened the doors of his Universal Emporium. For weeks prior to opening day the Queensland Times carried notices alerting people to this new business venture. The advertisements promoted an excitingly wide range of products, including glassware, china, lamps, medicines, perfumes, toiletries, general goods and toys.
The Universal Emporium at 80 Brisbane Street – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
It was Joseph’s first foray into business ownership, having just left the employ of Cribb and Foote. He had previously worked as a bootmaker, apprenticed to Mr T.M. Lang, and then for Cribb and Foote in their boot department. Later he was a junior clerk and collector in the Cribb and Foote office. He spent about 15 months working in the boot and drapery departments of J. and G. Harris, before returning to Cribb and Foote where for ten years he was in charge of the crockery department.
Rose’s Universal Emporium was located in James McGill’s new building, a two-storey brick building located between the Palais Royal Hotel and the Queensland Woollen Company. The building still stands today at number 80 Brisbane Street, having housed a number of businesses over the years including the well-known John Black’s Oyster Saloon, later named the City Cafe.
Joseph Rose’s Universal Emporium, 1895. Part of ‘Pictorial Supplement’ in Queensland Times newspaper, 24 January 1895 – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich.
During the floods of February 1893 the Emporium was flooded, with the water reaching a level of 10ft 9 inches inside the building. Two weeks later the shop was again flooded. Luckily Joseph had been able to remove most of his stock from the premises before the floodwater rose. His neighbouring merchant in the building was not so lucky and lost a great deal of floor stock to water damage.
Around this time Mrs Richard Watson was constructing a series of three shops further up the street, directly across from Bell Street. As soon as these buildings were complete Joseph moved his business into the lower of the three. Rose’s Universal Emporium opened at its new location in early 1896.
In March 1902, after some eighteen years in business, the Emporium closed its doors for the final time.