[Talk-GB] What is a Department Store

James Derrick lists at jamesderrick.org
Fri Dec 20 10:15:55 UTC 2019


Hi,

On 19/12/2019 19:12, Philip Barnes wrote:
> The key feature in my mind is that each department is that you paid in
> each shop, you couldn't buy a pair of shoes and pay for them in the
> record department.

TBH, I don't remember big stores in NE England (e.g. Fenwick, Callers, 
Farnons in NCL), enforcing a 'pay here' separation. It may have been 
there, but I was more interested in the vacuum shuttle systems taking 
the invoice and cash back to the safe!

My thought on taxonomy is more about the physical separation of one 
enterprise into multiple departments, each specialising in one class of 
goods with  product displays, people, and advice separated into sections.

To re-use your 'Are You Bing Served' example - "/Ground floor perfumery 
stationary, and leather goods/, /wigs."/

Some supermarkets sell washing machines, but there's much less of a 
separation into departments - a tin of paint may be on the same shelf 
(e.g Tesco Extra - one big shed full of stuff no one can find).


> The big thing that kept me out of such places was
> the perfume department which always seemed to be just inside the main
> door to overpower and drive me back out.

The House of Fraser on the West end of Princes Street Edinburgh being 
the worst I remember - hazard=Chanel No.5 perhaps? :-)


> In OSM we are using department store to describe most commonly for
> example M & S. Whilst it does have departments, you take things to a
> single till. Food is still sort of separate, but as far as I am aware
> you can pay for your socks along with your groceries.

Again, I see the physical organisation as the differentiator, not the 
payment mechanism.


> ASDA Home may fit this, but again you pay at a single till area.
>
> Was taken to TK Maxx today, had never been in before and had always
> assumed it was a clothes shop and had mapped it as such. It sells much
> more than clothes, actually felt like BHS used to. But again you take
> things to a single till. On checking, iD suggests Department Store.

Hmm, never been in one.

Perhaps another factor is the breadth of items stocked and type 
(convenience/ shopping/  speciality/ unsought goods)?

* Supermarket = sells food and other consumables, with limited 
higher-order of goods mixed freely on shelves and isles.

* Department = sells speciality goods physically separated into 
departments, may sell convenience and shopping goods but in one area 
(e.g. a food hall, delicatessen, or similar department).


> Am I stuck in the 70s?

You are not alone!

Meaningful stuff happened like decimilsation, Tubular Bells, 
Glastonbury, the Range Rover, but then again so did, strikes, power 
cuts, the Hillman Avenger, and the last canal commercial carrying...

TTFN,


James
-- 
James Derrick
     lists at jamesderrick.org, Cramlington, England
     I wouldn't be a volunteer if you paid me...
     https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/James%20Derrick

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