Hammonds was a department store located originally in Hull before opening a further branch in Bridlington. The business was bought by House of Fraser.
History
In 1821 H W Hammond opended a drapery shop on the old North Bridge in Hull. The business continued to operate at this location until 1861 when the store moved to Osborne Street. In 1889 the business was sold to James Powell and his three sons, whose family continued to operate the business until 1972. The business was incorporated in 1913.
Due to the growth of Hull, a new store was built in 1916 with modern elevators and a large restaurant. This was further improved before the Second World War with the addition on an escalator and a third storey. However the store was destroyed by German bombing in 1941, but within a week 47 of the store's departments were open again in a temporary location.
The store was not rebuilt until 1952 on Paragon Square, with extensions added in 1954 and 1957. Within a couple of years the business had grown again by opening its own hairdressing salon, and in 1960 added a new warehouse to accommodate their furniture workshops and stock rooms. This itself was extended within four years, while a fourth floor was added to the main store.
In 1969 the business purchased the Carlton department store located in Bridlington, and within a year had demolished and rebuilt the store. The company's independence did not last much longer, as in 1972 House of Fraser purchased the business for £8 million. The stores were then grouped under the Binns brand, before the Bridlington store was closed and the Hull store re-branded under the House of Fraser name.