ballmouse
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2011
- Messages
- 1,229
- Reaction score
- 373
Yeah, Smith has been in one place for decades if not a century. SAB was at 185 Piccadilly for something like a century before moving in like 1998, after that it moved three times as ownership changed and rents drove it from place to place. What's funny is that actual non-iGent Londoners suspect the Smith shop is like a money laundering front or something because they can't imagine anyone actually going in.
SAB definitely gave the impression of changed ownership because there was no way an old institution would have such a tiny storefront unless something happened along the way.
Oddly enough, the Smith shop had countless folks dropping in and out both days I visited. A number of sales were made and there were so many employees in the shop I was shocked because what's the market for quality umbrellas? I came out thinking Londoners must really like their umbrellas because the amount of business I saw at the shop was surprisingly. By comparison, I was the only person in the SAB store (other than the single salesperson).