Jones Bootmaker is a footwear retailer based in the United Kingdom, with forty-two retail outlets throughout the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

History

In 1857, Alfred and Emma Jones opened a footwear shop in Bayswater,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Jones was a pioneer in the installation of electric lighting in retail premises. Nine of their eleven sons became apprentices and subsequently store owners, trading as A. Jones and sons. A company innovation was the supply of ready made shoes in three widths. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the company expanded, with a warehouse in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

, the modernisation of existing stores, and the opening of new branches. The growth in Jones' retail outlets outstripped production at their factory; in 1955, the company became a member of the group

Church's Church's is a high-end footwear manufacturer that was founded in 1873, by Thomas Church, in Northampton, England. In 1999 the company came under the control of Italian luxury fashion house Prada in a US$170 million deal. History Between the ...

. A 'City Bootmaker' shop was opened in Manchester in 1994, and in 1996, the company began trading as Jones Bootmaker. After the acquisition of Church's by Prada, Jones Bootmaker was sold to a private investor in 2001, and then in 2006 to a financial consortium. It was sold in 2010 to the Macintosh Retail Group, and again in 2015 to Alteri Investors, back by Apollo Global Management. Alteri filed an intention to appoint administrators for Jones on 15 March 2017, and the company was purchased in a pre pack administration deal by

Endless LLP Endless is a British private equity firm. It is headquartered at 3 Whitehall Quay, Leeds, with an office at 102 Park Street, London W1. In 2017, Endless bought Jones Bootmaker, saving 840 jobs according to BBC. Endless has also invested in Wes ...

on 26 March 2017, which saved seventy two of the stores. The chain was purchased from Endless by Pavers Shoes in February 2018.

References

External links

* {{- Shoe companies of the United Kingdom Clothing companies of England Clothing retailers of England British companies established in 1857 Retail companies established in 1857 1857 establishments in England Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom