Crittendens

Crittendens

Company type	Private
Industry	Grocery and liquor retail
Founded	1917
Founder	Oscar Rupert George Crittenden
Fate	Acquired by Myer in 1982; later sold to Coles; brand purchased by Woolworths in 1987
Headquarters	Melbourne , Australia
Area served	Melbourne, mainly south-eastern suburbs
Number of employees	60 (1954)

Crittendens’ was a grocery and liquor retail chain based in Melbourne, established in 1917 by Oscar Rupert George Crittenden. Originating from a single outlet in Malvern, the company expanded to seven locations mainly catering to the upscale south-eastern suburbs. In 1982, the chain was acquired by the department store group Myer, which later divested it to Coles. Subsequently, most branches were shut down, leaving only one Toorak store operating under the Crittenden brand by 2018, focusing exclusively on liquor sales.

History

Oscar Rupert George Crittenden (1887–1954), born in South Australia, relocated with his family to Victoria by 1906. After gaining experience in various grocery establishments, he secured a loan of £620 from his mother in 1917 to purchase a modest grocery store at 138 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, trading as O.R. Crittenden, grocer. The enterprise experienced steady growth, employing around 20 staff by 1930 and offering telephone ordering with home delivery through company vehicles. Serving affluent suburbs such as Malvern, Toorak, and Armadale, Crittendens specialized in imported delicacies and repackaged goods under its own label.

The second outlet opened in 1936 at 569 Malvern Road, Toorak. By 1948, O.R. Crittenden Ltd. had been incorporated with a capital of £25,000. During the 1930s, the company diversified into fine wine and spirits sales within its grocery stores. At the time of Oscar’s passing in 1954, the business employed 60 people delivering to approximately 4,000 households weekly.

Leadership transitioned to his sons John Maxwell (1921–2002) and Douglas Oscar (1923–2014), supported by senior staff members. The chain expanded further to include stores in Brighton, Ashwood, Ivanhoe, Richmond, and central Melbourne. Grocery operations were coordinated from Malvern under Jack Crittenden’s management, while Doug Crittenden managed liquor sales from the Toorak location. The board included directors Max Parsons and accountant George Davies.

Crittendens developed an extensive wine bottling operation by purchasing bulk wine directly from wineries in Victoria and South Australia to market under their own label. The company also produced annual wine guides and organized tastings of wine and cheese as well as product launch events. Its clientele included notable personalities such as former Prime Minister Robert Menzies, entrepreneur Sidney Myer, opera star Dame Joan Hammond, and visiting celebrities like Gregory Peck. The business was well-regarded for its tailored services including home delivery and catering for special occasions.

After being acquired by Myer in 1982 as part of its core business growth plan, the bottling activities were discontinued. Myer later sold Crittendens to Coles, which proceeded to close most outlets. The brand name was purchased by Woolworths in 1987. By 2018, only the Toorak liquor store continued operating under the Crittenden name without any family involvement.

Brett Crittenden, grandson of Oscar, is recognized internationally as a wine educator and judge. The unrelated Crittenden Estate Winery located at Dromana is owned by Gary Crittenden and has no familial ties.

"Shopping at Crittendens" is also the title of a poem by Evan Jones that appeared in Quadrant magazine in 1982.