J F Dixons

Dixons

Company type	Private company
Industry	Retail
Founded	1913 in Southend-on-Sea, England
Founder	J. F. Dixon
Defunct	1973
Headquarters	Southend-on-Sea , England
Products	Department store goods

Dixons was a standalone department store founded in Southend-on-Sea, England, in 1913 and ceased operations in 1973.

History

J. F. Dixon, originally a draper from Upper Norwood in South London, launched his drapery business in 1913 at the intersection of London Road and what was then known as The Broadway (currently the High Street) in Southend-on-Sea. Its primary rivals included Keddies, Brightwells, and Thomas Brothers. In 1932, Dixon acquired his father's drapery enterprise located in Gainsborough. The Southend location underwent significant redevelopment led by architect Mr Grover—who was recognized for designing other stores in Southend—with renovations completed by 1938. This expansion incorporated the former site of the Theatre Deluxe, increasing the store's footprint to over 40,000 square feet.

By 1956, Dixons had modernized its facilities by adding escalators at an investment of £25,000. The company embraced the nationwide five-day trading week by 1963, closing on Wednesdays while extending Friday closing times to 8 p.m. Throughout the 1960s, Dixons introduced innovative marketing tactics such as showcasing mannequins within glass display cases along Southend High Street and established a youth-oriented section named Tomorrow's Girl in 1968. John F. Dixon voluntarily closed both the Gainsborough and Southend branches in 1972 and 1973 respectively. Following the store closures, Dixon spearheaded fundraising efforts for the Palace Theatre trust in 1980; the resulting new studio was named Dixon Studio as a tribute.

The buildings today

In 1974, ownership of the former Dixons premises transferred to the Hammerson group, which subdivided the property into three separate retail spaces. These units currently accommodate WHSmith, Burger King, Toy n Tuck (Queens Road), and the Lawrence Matthews Art Shop (Queens Road). It is important to note that J F Dixons had no connection with Dixons Retail (now Dixons Carphone Warehouse), despite both businesses originating from Southend.