Debenham's Store, High Street

Image: © Eric Jones Taken: 23 Sep 2006

This store was acquired from Browns of Chester by Debenhams in 1976 and is soon to be replaced by a new store to be built in the Menai Centre, Image Between the late 1880's and 1965 the business was owned by the Wartski family. The originator was Morris Wartski, a refugee from the Tsarist pogroms, who had established, first, a jewellery business on Bangor's High Street, and then a drapery store. His son, Isidore, went on to develop the drapery business and to create a large, fashionable, store. Wartskis was the place to shop. Isidore also developed the Castle Inn, on the opposite side of the street, into the high-class Castle Hotel. He was a very popular mayor of the city and a great patron of local sports and charities. Another of Morris' sons went on to develop the jewellery part of the business into an international player. Amongst other things, they beat the competition to buy the Egyptian crown jewels from King Farouk. http://wartski.com/about.htm

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