Marks and Spencer has been a staple of the Murraygate in Dundee for over a century.
Having opened their first shop in the area in 1918, M&S moved across the street to its current home in 1936.
This year, however, will bring an end to the bond between Marks and Spencer and the Murraygate as the store moves into a new £10m pound premises at the Gallagher Retail Park.
Among those making the move into the new store are seven long-serving employees who between them have clocked up more than 240 years’ service at the Murraygate.
‘I always wanted to work for Marks and Spencer’
Denise Smith, 60 and colleague Ann Tennant, 63, both started on the same day 44 years ago.
“When Anne and I first joined, we were among the youngest and everyone was looking after us”, Denise said.
“But now it’s reversed and we have the young people around us who we can share our experiences with.
“I always wanted to work for Marks and Spencer when I came in with my mum and I’ve got what I wanted.”
Ann said: “When I first came here, you think it’s just a shop where you stand at the till and serve customers.
“But you soon realise it’s just one cog in a wheel and there’s a much bigger picture.
“I worked in admin so you worked out the sales, the stock, and made the wages up.
“But technology has moved on and it’s made things so much easier, now it’s just the touch of a button.”
The 63-year-old added: “I knew about long-service because a lot of my family have done it (at M&S).
“My aunty did 58 years, my brother also worked here and he did 20 odd years – and my second cousin who is down in Chester is coming up to 40 years.”
“We want to do a good job and we are really passionate about the people we work with and the products we sell.”
The longevity of the Murraygate store has meant those who work there have become a family – which means personal milestones are celebrated as well as professional ones.
Morag Newsome, who has worked at the store for 41 years, said: “I remember when I had my daughter, the cloakroom floor was covered from one end to the other with gifts.
“It was hand-knitted things, individual gifts – I think I got a present from every single person in the store.
“I remember showing my sister the photographs of this and she went, ‘I have never had that many gifts in all my life’.
‘We look after each other here’
The new Gallagher Retail Park store will be a merger between the existing food store there and the Murraygate shop.
Located at the old DW Sports and Mothercare units, the new store will see an expanded offering of food, drink, clothing, and homewares.
And ahead of the move in late spring, store manager Fiona Buchan – who has been at the Murraygate for almost 30 years – is preparing her team for the change.
“We look after each other here”, the 50 year-old said.
“A big part of my role for the next few months will be for us to move forward together and I will be working closely with the store manager at Dock Street to make sure the transition from here to new premises is a smooth one.
“This store has a heart and it’s bittersweet (to be leaving) but it’s exciting as well.
“There’s still a place for that walk-in customer and in Dundee that is the most important thing for us.
“We are part of the community.”
Conversation