House style

The tiled walls and marble counters of Sainsbury's Croydon branch, which opened in 1882, became the model for the company's 'house-style'.

Produced by Minton Hollins, the tiles were highly glazed and the patterns were complicated. John James Sainsbury was criticised for his expensive choice of shop fittings, but the tiles kept the shop cool and were easy to clean.

Find out more about wall, counter and floor tiles

Shop lighting was another important feature. There were gas lights both inside and outside to show off the merchandise. From 1905 new branches were installed with electric lighting and most had converted to electricity by 1914. John James Sainsbury's final words are said to have been 'keep the shops well lit'.

During the interwar period Sainsbury's expanded rapidly and shops were fitted out to a standard design. However there was some local variation. The wooden screen in the St Albans shop, which opened in 1924, featured classical columns and pediments inspired by the nearby town hall.

The overall look of shop interiors remained the same between the 1890s and 1930s, but small improvements were made. Plaster moulding decorations were added and a low glass screen around the counters to protect the food.

Everything was cleaned scrupulously. The marbles counters, tiled walls and counter fronts were scrubbed each day and the tiles polished with ball whitening. Once a week the bacon rails were taken down and burnished with sandpaper. Even grocery displays were dismantled and rebuilt each week, using strips of paper to 'tie' the stacks together.