The unique Sunderland store which had sun blinds, underfloor heating, and mood-changing lighting

The answer is Kennedy’s and it was a store which stood out for the way it embraced the latest mod cons.

The man to tell us more about it is Philip Curtis from the Sunderland Antiquarian Society.

A hit from the moment it moved to Maritime Place

Kennedy’s was a hit, especially when it relocated into a new unit in Maritime Place, close to Blandford Street, on March 19, 1959. It was in these premises that the fashion store introduced the latest shopping features of the day.

The most unusual and eye-catching was the background window lighting which incorporated automatic colour changes.

Another feature, brought to the store from USA, was an electronic system of sun blinds which could be set to open or close automatically when the sun shone.

Electronic eye measured the sun’s rays

There was also an electronic eye on the corner of the building to measure the sun’s rays before passing on to the pre-set mechanism to open or close the blinds.

A local firm, Coutts and Findlater, was responsible for building the shop front.

Underfloor heating was introduced and set into the ceilings were speakers through which music could be played to shoppers – of course this is common today in many shops, but then it was a new concept. Soft lights and sweet music was obviously an attraction.

Plans for a central boulevard

In 1959 it was felt that the new store was on the fringe of what eventually would be a central shopping complex with a wide central boulevard running through it.

They were correct and, eventually, The Bridges opened. This soon became became the place to shop, but some of the businesses situated outside the complex began to struggle.

Eventually Kennedy’s, which had served the town since 1885, closed its doors for the final time.

But what an impression it had made from its earliest days.

Destroyed by fire

Kennedy’s started out in High Street West in 1885, but later took over the Cobden Exchange in the same street. There the store remained until the building was destroyed by fire in August 1904.

It was soon rebuilt and opened again the following year. It quickly became extremely popular. A feature of the shop was the way money was sent to the cashier’s department by way of a travelling container in a chute, the change returning in similar fashion.

The store also issued its own money for customers to spend there.

Visit the treasure trove

You can also visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website which is at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

And to become a member, email [email protected]

Tell us about a moment in Sunderland history that you would like us to revisit, by emailing [email protected]