28 September 1894: Marks & Spencer opens its first 'Penny Bazaar'

On this day in 1894, Michael Marks and Tom Spencer opened their first ‘Penny Bazaar’ market stall in Leeds.

Marks & Spencer's market stall © Jewish Chronicle/Heritage Images/Getty Images
(Image credit: © Jewish Chronicle/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

With a reputation for good quality, if occasionally slightly dull, merchandise, and as the grocer to Britain's middle classes (alongside Waitrose), it's perhaps a little surprising to find out that solid, dependable Marks & Spencer started out life as the 19th-century equivalent of a pound shop in the north of England.

Michael Marks was a refugee from eastern Europe. Originally from Slonim in Belarus, he made his way to Leeds, where he set up a stall in Kirkgate Market.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up
Ben Judge

Ben studied modern languages at London University's Queen Mary College. After dabbling unhappily in local government finance for a while, he went to work for The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh. The launch of the paper's website, scotsman.com, in the early years of the dotcom craze, saw Ben move online to manage the Business and Motors channels before becoming deputy editor with responsibility for all aspects of online production for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News websites, along with the papers' Edinburgh Festivals website.

Ben joined MoneyWeek as website editor in 2008, just as the Great Financial Crisis was brewing. He has written extensively for the website and magazine, with a particular emphasis on alternative finance and fintech, including blockchain and bitcoin. 

As an early adopter of bitcoin, Ben bought when the price was under $200, but went on to spend it all on foolish fripperies.