'Watch this space': New department on the way for legendary Halifax store
One of Halifax’s iconic stores is undergoing a revamp.
Harveys is bringing some changes to its flagship premises in Halifax town centre.
The store is open as usual but behind the Commercial Street entrance, changes are afoot.
In a video on social media, the store says the cookshop has now gone and “bigger and better things are coming”.
Fashion brands Only and Apricot are moving down to where the cookshop was.
"We’ve got a whole brand new space with brand new lighting, brand new layout, brand new change rooms, brand new colours,” says the video.
“We are so excited for you to see this finished.
"We’re so excited to be making this change and bringing something new and exciting to you all.
"We can’t wait for it to open and we can’t wait to welcome you in.
"Out Commercial Street doors will be opening again very soon.”
Family-run Harveys was started in the 1920s by Edgar Harvey in a small unit in Dewsbury.
By the 1950s, the brand had expanded to another three shops – in Halifax, Wakefield and Harrogate.
The Halifax store was opened in 1950 on the site of the old Waddington’s Dress Warehouse on Rawson Street, and ran as a ladies fashion shop selling clothing and accessories.
Current chairman Roger Harvey continued to build the business throughout the 1970s and 1980s when the outlying shops were sold in order to concentrate efforts on the Halifax site.
In late 1988, the company purchased the adjacent Tramways building from the council and over a two-year period, developed this into retail space, which almost doubled the size of the store to 15,000 square feet.
The departments then included men’s and ladies fashions, accessories, cosmetics and perfumery, lingerie, household linens and a 143-seat restaurant.
Expansion then continued with the opening of a cookshop and gift department in 1993.
Harveys later expanded again to the rear and into the adjacent Sun Alliance building. A new perfumery and cosmetic hall opened in 1996 and a conservatory extension to the restaurant increased the seating to 170.
New top name brands were introduced and Halifax’s first glass-sided lift was installed to smoothly convey customers to four floors of quality shopping.
There is also a Harveys store in The Piece Hall.