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Allan & Stark was built in 1881, Architect: A. Stombuco. It was constructed as offices for solicitors Brown & Ruthning. Alan & Stark drapery aquired it in 1914. The firm became a major Brisbane retail chain. This was its City Store. The store began with Queen Street shopfronts and then was enlarged, over the next 40 years, to reach through to Adelaide Street. Burnett Lane separated the two shopfronts so it became two, co-joined stores. It was bought by Myer in 1970 and completely remodelled so that only the facade remains. Source: mappingbrisbanehistory.com.au/history-location/allan-star...

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Overells’ Ltd. Corner of Wickham & Brunswick Streets, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland. (1900) Brand: Pheonix In 1883 Mr. W. J. Overell opened a draper’s store in Anne Street, Brisbane. By 1900 business had prospered and the store moved to corner of Wickham & Brunswick Streets, Fortitude Valley. In 1904 disaster struck when the shop and all the stock was destroyed by fire. William Overell was not daunted by this loss and rebuilt the store, even adopting the “Phoenix” as his new trademark with the slogan “Comparison favours Overells’’”to symbolize the business rising from the ashes. They traded as a large department store with a mail order business selling radio parts and Phoenix brand radios in the 1920’s. It is unknown who manufactured these radios or if they were re-badged from overseas. From the 1930’s they sold Australian made radios from Australian manufacturers. Source: www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=...

M.D. Pigott set up a drapery business in Brisbane soon after arriving in Australia in 1885. He opened his first store in Russell Street, Toowoomba (next to the Criterion Hotel) on 6 July 1896. Pigott & Co advertised that at their opening there would be the 'most marvellous bargains ever offered in Toowoomba.' Just a year after opening Pigott & Co moved into specially remodelled premises in Ruthven Street on 24 August 1897. M.D. Pigott, his wife Mary Josephine and eight children moved from Brisbane to Toowoomba following the success of the store. During the later years of the 1890s and into the early years of the twentieth century, branch stores were opened at Boonah, Beaudesert, Chinchilla, Pittsworth, Dalby and Warwick. Tragedy strikes in 1909 In 1908 the store was completely remodelled including vestibule windows. Tragedy struck Pigott & Co when fire broke out on 8 July 1909 only a month after the renovations were complete. The building and stock were completely destroyed. To continue the running of the popular store a temporary building and offices were arranged the very next day. Warehouses rallied to supply goods and after a couple of weeks, business had increased and the temporary premises had to be extended. On 18 April 1910, the new Pigott & Co store opened with twice the floor space, enlarged departments and new departments added. Source: www.tr.qld.gov.au/our-region/history/historic-locations/1...