The Bombay Store – A 100 Years of Preserving Traditions

Four walls and a roof – the idea was to promote all that was made in India. The first retail organisation to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), The Bombay Store has come a long way from its swadeshi origins to appeal to a more global customer.

Though the name carries with it the old name of India's commercial capital, the store itself has flavours from across the country. From a modern- looking Hidesign handbag to a traditional table, and from truly exquisite candles to very ethnic agarbatti, you will find a combination of products at The Bombay Store. As rich as the products that The Bombay Store houses, have been its history and journey so far.

Foundation stone
The inception of The Bombay Store lies in the Swadeshi movement started in the early 20th century. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, along with eminent industrialist and businessman Munmohandas Ramji, conceived the idea of The Bombay Swadeshi Co-operative Stores Co. Ltd. Tilak, by this time, had already established himself as the spearhead of the Swadeshi movement. Associated with the formation of the store were Sir Jamshedji Tata, Sir Dwarkadas Dharamsey, Gordhandas Khateau and Balwant Ramchandra Natu, who went on to become the first directors of the company.

The concept of the store then was simple. It was started with an idea to promote all that was made in India. Space was hired in the present Times of India building in Mumbai and the first Bombay Swadeshi Store was inaugurated by India's Grand Old Man, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji, on December 17, 1906. With time, the Bombay Swadeshi Store expanded its reach across various locations in Bombay (now Mumbai), and also had its branches spread in Pune, Rajkot and Cochin.

In 1938 the store was shifted to its current location at Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road in Mumbai. During this time, the store made steady progress and increasingly received support from people. Very soon, it rendered considerable service to the public by acting as a government-authorised cloth shop, and held the largest number of units in the cloth-rationing scheme. In 1963 it became the first retail organisation to be listed on Bombay Stock Exchange. Subsequently, the various other branches in Mumbai and across the country downed shutters. Only the flagship store remained standing.

In 1991, the Bombay Swadeshi Store had a new management when the Dalal family took over. In 1995 the store was re-christened The Bombay Store. Explaining the philosophy behind the change, Asim Dalal, managing director, The Bombay Store, says, “We dropped the ‘swadeshi' to make it appeal to a more global customer.”

A step ahead
Says Dalal, “Today our theme is, we are India in our store. We are a contemporary lifestyle store with emphasis on gift and home. But when I say gift and home, we also have fashion and fashion accessories—though they too can fall into the ‘gifting' category. The thought of picking up a gift from The Bombay Store for any relative or visitor from abroad has become like a tradition. A gift from The Bombay Store has an enhanced value comparatively.”

Commenting on the break-up of product offerings, Dalal says, “Home furnishing and accessories constitute 50 per cent of our business. Apart from that, 40 per cent comes in from fashion and fashion accessories, and the remaining 10 per cent is from other miscellaneous items like food, aromatherapy and skincare products. In our previous avatar, we were more into ethnic and traditional handicraft and home furnishings. Now we offer a much larger variety of products.”

Product offerings
In its new form, The Bombay Store also boasts of a few international products in the glassware and home accessories section. The category break-up for products available at the store is as follows:

Apparel: Men and women; brands: Saffron (salwar-kurtas, tops, embellished kurti s), The Bombay Store (Indian and western apparel), Gurlz (western apparel), Lemon Tree (salwar sets and tops), Tantra, Gatha (tees and men's kurta-pyjamas)

Fashion accessories: Leather and travel accessories, footwear, scarves and ties

Personal care: Aromatherapy, herbal skin and hair care; brands: Biotique, Shahnaz Hussain, Breathe, Lotus.