Counter Service Layout

Sainsbury's counter service shops all followed a similar layout.

Central positions in shopping parades were preferred to corner sites. The shops were long and thin with a small frontage. This made it easier to keep goods cool and provided maximum counter space for serving customers and displaying goods. Typically these shops only had a sales area of around 2,200 square feet. Sometimes, to increase sales space, the shops extended through the window and on to the market street.

Counters ran along the walls of the shop, and sales assistants were positioned down them, at each department. By the 1930s, most stores had six departments: dairy, bacon and hams, poultry and game, cooked meats, fresh meat and groceries. The 'top spot' near the window was reserved for displaying seasonal specialities or for the butterman.

A polished wooden screen at the back divided the shop floor from the office and other rooms behind. Customers queued at each individual department to select their goods, which would be prepared and wrapped for them. In some shops the customer would pay at each department; in later years, the cashier's office was located at the back of the shop.

Download a plan showing the layout of Sainsbury's branch at 392 Mare Street, Hackney, 1929 (PDF 705kb)