Islington

In 1882 John James Sainsbury opened his first Islington branch at 48 Chapel Street.

The fascia board proudly proclaimed:

'J. Sainsbury's Shilling Butter is the Best Value in the World. Quality Perfect, Prices Lower.'

The shop was extremely popular. John Benjamin Sainsbury, who worked there for a while, later recalled how one Friday it achieved record sales of £400 for the day's trade:

‘It was an achievement of exceptional merit for all those engaged… We did a great deal of business from the open windows and the stalls, cheese on the left window, bacon on the right, eggs on the left stall and Ostend rabbits and pickled pork on the right.'

The success of 48 Chapel Street encouraged John James to expand his business there. In 1887 he opened the first Sainsbury's shop to specialise in poultry and game at 51 Chapel Street. This was an unusual step, as these were expensive luxuries not usually available in working class areas.

John James opened another provisions shop at 76 Chapel Street, Islington, in 1889. The range of goods was similar to that stocked at 48 Chapel Street. Finally, in 1893 he took over a little dairy at 44½ Chapel Street where he sold milk and butter. This shop had previously belonged to a competitor, George Jackson, and so did not require expensive new fittings.

It was common practice in Sainsbury's early days to have a number of shops in the same street, particularly in markets like Chapel Street where the stalls outside each shop added to trade.