M&S Penny Bazaar in Leeds Cross Arcade 1909

This photo shows the M&S Penny Bazaar at Leeds Cross Arcade, 1909. Between 1903 and 1907 M&S opened 24 new branches, with more than 60 in total by the end of 1907. In 1904 M&S took eight shop units on a short lease in the newly opened Cross Arcade. The arcade was owned by the Leeds Estate Company, who were having difficulty finding tenants to move into the empty units, Michael Marks took a chance, and the Cross Arcade was soon established as a new shopping street to rival busy Briggate. Each of the eight units contained a different department; hardware, china ornaments, tinware, toys, fancy goods, stationery, crockery and haberdashery.