Marks and Spencer

M&S started life in 1884, when the immigrant Michael Marks came to the north of England and managed to secure a stall at Kirkgate Market in Leeds. Having arrived with little money and limited English, he built his success using the slogan “Don’t ask the price, it’s a ’Penny”. Thanks to this simple idea and his hard work, his stall selling simple homewares was soon thriving. To support his growing business, Michael joined forces with Tom Spencer, a cashier from wholesalers Dewhirst. From this partnership, ‘Marks & Spencer’ and its first Penny Bazaar stores were born and the business we all know today began to take shape.