Lewis and Cooper, Northallerton: Inside the oldest grocery shop in Yorkshire that survived two World Wars, economic recessions and Covid-19 pandemic

Yorkshire Post

Lewis and Cooper was first established by two Yorkshire businessmen, George Lewis and Binks Cooper.  The department store included the shop as well as 18 workmen's cottages which were adapted to create storage rooms for the business over the years.  The business remains an independent family-run shop until today with two of the current directors being grandchildren of Jessie Hindley, George Lewis's sister-in-law.  Over the last 126 years, Lewis and Cooper has withstood many challenges ranging from the First and Second World War, rationing, the rise of supermarkets, economic recessions and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic.

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00:00Yorkshire's oldest grocery store has survived many challenges including two world wars.

00:06George Lewis and Binx Cooper went into business together in December 1899

00:12forming the department store Lewis and Cooper.

00:16It was originally located at 91 High Street in North Allerton

00:20where they traded until 1905.

00:24A building next door then became available and up for sale and they moved.

00:30The site included the shop as well as 18 workmen's cottages.

00:34These were adapted to create storage rooms for the business over time.

00:38It still remains at this location today.

00:42George and Binx continued their partnership until 1914

00:45when Mr Cooper sold his share of the business

00:49leaving Mr Lewis to grow the business over the years to his retirement.

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