Leeds Cross Arcade 1909

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 soon established 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 © M&S Company Archive