From drapery to department store: 250 years of Hatchers
One of the oldest family-owned department stores in the UK is celebrating its 250th birthday.
Hatchers in Taunton was founded in April 1775, beginning its life as a drapery business.
Today its owners say it is 'thriving' on the town's High Street, employing more than 40 people.
The existing store location can track its roots to 1792.
One of the day books from that century is a prized possession of the present directors of the firm.
The milestone is being marked with a celebratory party for current and former staff, which will be attended by the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq.
Hatchers is owned by the Somerset-based Hill and Raisey families, who took over in 1986.
They can trace their own family roots in Hatchers back to the 1960s and early 1970s, when members of both families were directors of the store.
Mike Hill and Clive Raisey, who were already shareholders in the company, said taking full ownership was a huge decision at the time, but one that has made them extremely proud.
'Predatory development and investment companies were circling to buy Hatchers at the time. But we wanted it to stay local,' Mr Hill said.
'We wanted to keep it as a family business. It was a stressful time, for sure, and from that moment on it was a vertical learning curve.'
Mr Raisey said: 'We have always looked on Hatchers as being like a family. We did have offers to buy it from us, but we wanted to protect it for the future, for all the staff that work there.
'Some of our staff have spent all of their working life at Hatchers.'
Mr Hill and Mr Raisey's sons, Stephen and Mark, are now directors of the business and the connection continues as other family members are also involved.
Stephen Hill said: 'The Hatchers story is really unique in today's business world. What other store can talk of such history?
'And I am proud to be part owner of the company now.'
Mark Raisey added: 'It is a fantastic past but I believe we also have a bright future. The people of Taunton, and much further afield, continue to support us.
'We have a fantastically loyal customer base, so we look forward to our 300th birthday.'
Nelson, Napoleon, Washington and Wellington and other giants of history were alive when Hatchers was born in 1775.
It was the beginning of the American Revolutionary War and George III was on the throne in England.
It was also a time before income tax was invented.
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