One of the oldest family-owned retailers in UK finally closes doors after 144 years as fans say it’ll be ‘truly missed’
ONE of the oldest family-owned retailers in the UK has finally closed its doors after 144 years.
The closure marks the final chapter for Dancers that began its journey in 1880 as a boot shop in Lye before relocating to Halesowen in 1884.
The shop, located on Peckingham Street, has been a staple for generations of local families, offering everything from school uniforms to formalwear.
Sadly, rising operational costs and the shift to online shopping accelerated by the pandemic left the Dancer family with no choice but to close the doors for good.
On the shop’s final day, shoppers turned out in droves to grab bargains and bid farewell to the store.
The atmosphere was bittersweet, with tears shed among staff and customers alike.
Fifth generation owner Dave Dancer, 38, expressed mixed emotions:
“Its a mixture of sadness and relief that it’s come to the last day.
“My dad and aunt can now retire properly, but it’s a sad time because this business has been in the family for 144 years.”
“As a family, we never got the opportunity to take a break together, and if we tried to carry on there is a chance we could have lost the business completely.”
Two long-serving staff members, each with 27 years of service, were among those saying goodbye, emphasising the close-knit, family-like bond that defined the shop’s culture.
Dave’s father, 76 -year-old Mike Dancer, paid tribute to their loyal employees: “the staff have been great-we’re like one extended family. “I’d like to thank them for their support and dedication over the years.”
Councillor Simon Phipps praised the Dancer family and their team for their incredible service to the community over the years.
He said: “The entire team and Dancer family have served Halesowen for 144 years and their absence will be a blow for the town.
“But we should be thankful for the many years that Dancers has graced Halesowen town centre and provided a service to local people.”
Dancers weathered two world wars, economic recessions, and the challenges of a modern retail landscape.
However, increasing costs and changing shopping habits proved insurmountable.
This 144 year treasure is not the only shop closing down with the UK’s largest toy retailer, The Entertainer, also announcing the upcoming closure of its Edinburgh store at the Cameron Toll shopping centre.
The outlet, which has been a staple for local families since it opened in 2014, will shut its doors permanently, although an exact date had not yet been confirmed.
Shoppers are left disappointed, with many expressing frustration online.
Boss Andrew Murphy pointed to rising costs, including increasing National Insurance contributions, as a key reason for the closure.
He also revealed the financial strain has led to the company to scrap plans to open two new stores.
It’s yet another sign of how tough the high street has become, as businesses content with rising costs, changing shopping habits, and economic uncertainty.
Why are retailers closing stores?
Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost of living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,2 Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.
Toy giant The Entertainer has also confirmed it will permanently close its outlet at the Cameron Toll shopping centre in Edinburgh marking the end of a decade-long run for the shop which opened in 2014.