Sainsbury's Archives Virtual Museum

Shopfront Design

This is a life size replica shop fascia at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. 35Kb.

Sainsbury's shopfronts were so tall you could see them from the other end of the street, or above the tallest tram or horse bus.

Just above the shop window was a panel of black glass stretched over the whole width of the shop, with 'J. Sainsbury' painted upon it with gold leaf.

Above this was an ornate wrought-iron structure decorated with matt green paint so dark as to look black. Upon this were mounted huge wooden letters decorated in gold leaf which again spelt the name 'J. Sainsbury'.

The shops were an impressive sight, with tall polished teak sash windows set into highly polished red Norwegian and grey Swedish granite. On the top sash, in either window, appeared slogans like 'Dealer in Poultry and Game', 'Purveyor of High Class Provisions' and 'Daily Arrivals of Rich Pure Butter.'

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