Watt Brothers' department store on the corner of Sauchiehall Street and Hope Street, c 1910. Walter Macfarlane & Co supplied ornamental cast iron window screens between stone columns for the building, which was later extended to the corner of Bath Street. It was claimed that the use of cast iron in building and shop fronts minimised loss of light and space.
Whereas many famous Glasgow department stores have closed, Watt Brothers continues to flourish. A recent review describes the store: "Although lacking the prestige and elaborate decor of its peers, low prices more than compensate for this department store's sartorial shortcomings. The premises are quite compact but good use is made of the space and there are lifts between all six floors, which are clearly laid out and impossible to get lost in. Departments include menswear, ladieswear, soft furnishings, kitchenware, china, gifts and haberdashery."
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC f672.2506541443 MCF
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
cast iron, department stores, drapery shops, foundries, iron founders, ornamental ironwork, Saracen Foundry, Walter Macfarlane & Co, warehouses, Watt Brothers
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