Shephards

Shephards

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1908
Founder	Emerson Shephard
Defunct	1980
Headquarters	Gateshead , England, United Kingdom
Area served	North East England
Products	Department store goods (originally footwear)

Shephards was a modest department store chain based in North East England, with its main location situated in Gateshead.

History

Emerson Shephard initially launched a retail outlet on Swinburn Street in Gateshead before moving the business to Ellison Street in 1908. Starting primarily as a footwear retailer, the enterprise soon evolved into a full-fledged department store.

By 1924, Shephards had expanded to operate ten outlets throughout the North East region. The company took over the North Shields branch from George Swann, who faced financial strain due to overinvestment in constructing his new premises.

In 1934, the Ellison Street location underwent enlargement, growing to encompass 30 departments spread over three additional floors. Although it survived World War II without damage, the store was destroyed by fire in 1946.

During reconstruction, Shephards temporarily moved into Kent House, the former premises of Snowballs department store. The rebuilt store opened its doors in 1949 and featured the well-known Panorama Restaurant.

Throughout the 1970s, Shephards marketed itself through a regional television jingle that highlighted its extensive size, diverse product range, and complimentary parking facilities.

Facing financial challenges during the same decade, Shephards ceased operations by 1980. The Gateshead property was acquired by Tesco, which introduced Tesco Shopping City—a retail leasing concept that ultimately failed following the launch of the Metrocentre in 1986. Today, this site is home to the Trinity Square shopping and leisure complex.