Head back through the doors of iconic Dundee department chain Alex Smith’s.

Alex Smith Stores started as a second-hand business in Hilltown and has since grown into a popular department store company. Graeme Strachan.

Alex Smith’s evolved from a second-hand furniture store in Hilltown to a well-known chain of family-owned department stores in Dundee. “Smithies” become a Dundee institution.

Smith worked as a delivery clerk for the Dundee Corporation transport department in his early twenties before establishing a second-hand shop at 52 Ann Street in 1941. He advertised in the Evening Telegraph, offering high cash payments for surplus furniture, mattresses, carpets, bicycles, prams, cots, books, and tools.

His mother helped in the shop and his wife-to-be Janet also lent a hand.

Alex Smith introduced credit for shoppers

Smith started his first branch, a modest business at 68 Hilltown, in 1942. The following year, he closed both and purchased another location at 130 Hilltown on the corner of Alexander Street, 25 years before the multis were erected.

In January 1948, the store offered a “very fine selection” of utility and non-utility furniture, such as bedroom, dining, and chesterfield sets. Wardrobes cost £18, while beds were £10 and £5.

Tallboys, dressing chests, wool mattresses, divans, sideboards, tables, chairs, piano stools, coal bins, and mirrors were among the items in stock.

Smith introduced Cable Finance to provide shoppers with credit when their funds were tight, with payback terms ranging from six to 24 months.

The slogan said, “You’ve got a friend indeed at Cable Finance.” Smith expanded further, purchasing the “shop in the pend” at 48 Wellgate.

He also purchased 129-131 Hilltown, allowing him to enlarge his current shop. Everything was going great, and business was thriving.

Why was a lion emblem on the firm’s vans?

In January 1954, Smith advertised the “great stocktaking bargains” available in his two Dundee businesses, coupled with a poem honouring his commercial spirit.

It stated: “This honest man, this country loon, “This is Alex Smith from Hilltoon, “Tae a’ Dundee is a boon.” “For he has said it: ‘Come in ma freen’s an’ look ye roon’, I’ll gi’e ye credit’.”

The firm’s vans had a lion insignia. “The lion epitomises the whole attitude of the Scotsman’s approach to business – a little aggressive perhaps, but strong and reliable,” claimed Smith.

In 1956, 100 High Street in Lochee was purchased and converted into a store that sold not just furniture but also apparel, boots, shoes, and household items.

By 1961, he had expanded to a three-story department store on the junction of George Street and Castle Street in Montrose.

The business celebrated its 21st anniversary in 1962.

It has 132 employees at its Dundee and Montrose facilities.

Smith and his wife had three children: Sandra, 17, who worked in the Lochee shop, Douglas, 11, and Ron, three years old.

In November 1963, Smith purchased the retail premises at 100-108 Commercial Street in Dundee, which had previously been occupied by Richard Buist and Sons Ltd.

Alex Smith expanded across east Scotland

Smith promoted the company’s apparel line through fashion presentations at places such as the Theatre Royal in Dundee and Montrose Town Hall.

The proceeds from the submission went to local charity and retirees.

In April 1966, over 400 individuals attended the “mannequin parade” in Montrose.

The clothing line comprised a “daffodil wool coat, a candy floss terylene coat, a classic Florentine blue tweed piece, and a silvery pink raincoat”. By September 1967, the family business had expanded. A new branch opened in Crown Terrace, Aberdeen, followed by a shop in Perth.

Smith was selling a no-deposit offer with 156 weeks to pay at the time, and the company had expanded to seven branches throughout Scotland’s east.

“Let my interested family look after your family’s interests” was the firm’s motto.

Throughout the 1970s, Smith’s decorated show homes as new housing emerged and provided free bus services from St Andrews to its Commercial Street shop.

A mobile van would also go around Fife to sell stock.

Hilltown shop became sole survivor

The Lochee store closed in 1980, leaving the Hilltown location as the final remaining retailer in Dundee, which remained open into the 1990s.

Its vividly painted facade makes it a recognisable Hilltown icon. In March 1994, tragedy struck when a fire broke out in the carpet section.

The damage was severe, requiring the shop to close for several months. Dominic Kirwan, an Irish singer, put down his microphone and performed the official reopening in July 1994, after a £400,000 restoration.

The Courier stated: “Displayed on its five storeys, you’ll discover everything for the home, including more than 100 suites in a variety of styles and fabrics.

“There are carpets and curtains to match your colour scheme and a wide range of accessories such as lamps, mirrors and prints, to help turn a house into a home.”

The annual spring clearance event was a highlight, with reductions of up to 75%. In 1999, customers discovered a variety of discounts, including a Belgian-made oak-framed sofa and two seats reduced from £2,299 to £1,299.

Italian suites were available in 20 different colours, while the electronics area had TVs, hi-fi systems, kettles, and washing machines.

The “Liquid Gold Account” offered clients interest-free products and cash options starting at £50 per month.

Smith family dynasty ended with 2001 sale

Ewbanks, located in Hull, took over the store in February 2001, ending its 60-year history as a family business, while the Smith brand survived.

A new catalogue department was established, selling mobile phones, audio equipment, DIY tools, garden supplies, and household items. A Game Boy was reduced from £99 to £59, a bargain. The majority of the business remained dedicated to the latest carpets and rugs.

In 2002, a Bosch Maxx 1200 washing machine cost £299, down from £449. A Sanyo microwave cost £69.99. The Harry Potter and Bob the Builder duvet coverings cost £9.99. Alex Smith Stores remained the go-to store for household items.

However, a drop of footfall due to shifting buying patterns forced its closure in May 2003, leading one Evening Telegraph reader to turn to verse.

He wrote: “I’ve lived on the Hilltown for many years. “Alex Smith’s has always been there, “I’m sorry to announce that it has now closed its door.

“To the workers that always assisted you along the way, “Good luck to you on your trip. “And the young kid who assisted the aged ones, “Bless him.” I’m confident he’ll be fine.”

Bulldozers pulled the shop down in 2010

Alex Smith died at the age of 89 in July 2005 in West Ferry.

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