Earlier this month, local designers, clothing manufacturers, costume makers and sewing enthusiasts gathered at the new premises of William Gee, East London’s oldest haberdashery, to celebrate its 120th anniversary. The business, which began as a small store on Kingsland Road with just £2 of stock, has now moved to a new site on Forest Road and will open a second location in the Liberty department store at the end of October.
Kingsland Road
In 1906, William Goldstein, an Eastern European immigrant, changed his surname to Gee and opened a small trimmings shop at 495 Kingsland Road. At the time, Hackney was the centre of a bustling garment industry, and the business grew, eventually moving to 520 Kingsland Road. Gee’s sons, Alfred and Sidney, expanded the business and merged it with David Graham, who owned his own store on Commercial Street in the East End.
William Gee initially operated as a wholesaler, supplying manufacturers, hospitals and event wear suppliers in London. But when manufacturing went offshore, first to Eastern Europe and then to the Far East, it left a vacuum for suppliers in the area, and many were forced to close. The business adapted to the changing area and industry by opening an online shop and placing more emphasis on retail.
William Gee serves a dedicated community of fashion students, local designers and costume makers in Hackney, as well as a new generation keen to learn how to sew and make their own clothes. They stock a curated range of more than 9,000 haberdashery essentials, from Gütermann threads and YKK zips to specialist tailoring tools.
Jeffrey Graham, who joined his father’s business in 1988 and now runs the store with his son Adam, stated: “Some of the products have changed and some of the things that people require has also changed, but, everyone wants to wear clothes, whether they’re making them themselves or buying them from a retail store. There’s also a lot of emphasis now on recycling and changing products they may have at home and restyling them into something else in a sustainable way.”
They opened the online shop when Adam joined the company, but found that customers appreciate being able to visit in person to ask the team for advice and find exactly the product they need.
Turbulent times
Jeffrey described how adapting to a changing textile industry and different customer demands was essential for keeping the business alive through turbulent times: “The biggest thing is that you have to adapt to what’s changing. We’ve been through COVID, we’ve been through Brexit, we’ve been through the financial crisis, and that’s all in the last 17, 18 years.”
With greater support for local businesses from the council and a more affordable rating system, Jeffrey believes things can change for the better locally: “About 10 years ago, we took part in an exhibition at Hackney library about how the High Street has changed over hundreds of years… People were asked, how do you think things will be in 10 years? And there was a huge amount of pessimism… I think that the High Street has to change and it has to offer people something more than just shops that are there. We don’t need more hairdressers and cafes and estate agents lining the high streets. We do need services which will offer opportunities for local residents. The days when you can have a shop and just wait for people to come in are gone… You have to offer a space that’s welcoming.”
Forest Road
The new premises are just a stone’s throw from the old Kingsland Road store, where regulars will be pleased to see that the iconic sign and restored clock have found a new home. Jeffrey stated: “We’re very conscious of wanting to keep the heritage of William Gee as a historic institution in the area. We’ve got lots of photos and things scattered around which will remind people that it’s not only a modern looking shop, which it is, but it comes with the historical backing of 120 years.”
Moving into their old warehouse has allowed the family to combine a bigger shop floor, office and warehouse under one roof. They are making the most of the extra space with popular sewing workshops run by specialist teachers, and tables that locals can hire. They are also developing studios that they hope to rent to people working in the creative industries, creating more opportunities for creatives in the area where the business began.
From the end of October, William Gee will also operate from Liberty, where it will stock a carefully chosen selection of its haberdashery products.
