Foy & Gibson

Infobox_Company
company_name = Foy & Gibson
company_
company_type = Department Store
company_slogan =
foundation = 1883
location = Australia
key_people =
num_employees =
industry = Retail
products = clothing, manchester, leather goods, soft furnishings, furniture, hardware, food
revenue =

Foy & Gibson (also known as Foys) was one of Australia's earliest department store chains, modelled on Le Bon Marché in Paris and other European and American Stores of the period. A large range of goods were manufactured and sold by the company including clothing, manchester, leather goods, soft furnishings, furniture, hardware and food.cite web|title=Part of former Foy and Gibson Complex |url=http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/index_menu.asp|publisher=Heritage Victoria|accessdate=2008-04-27]

The first store was established as a drapery in Smith Street, Collingwood, Victoria by Mark Foy. Ownership of this business was transferred to his son Francis Foy in partnership with Willam Gibson in March, 1883. Francis Foy later sold his half share of the business to Gibson and moved to Sydney, establishing Mark Foys there.cite web|title=Gibson, William (1842? - 1918) |url=http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080669b.htm|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|accessdate=2008-04-27]

Gibson established a branch of the business in Perth and subsequently opened store a store in Brisbane in 1903 and another in Rundle Street, Adelaide in 1907.

In 1955, the company was bought out by Cox Brothers and in 1964, Foy & Gibson (WA) Ltd, including ten stores in Western Australia, was sold to David Jones. The Bourke Street Melbourne store was sold to Woolworths in 1967.cite web|title=Cox Brothers (Australia) Ltd (1928 - )|url=http://www.gabr.net.au/biogs/ABE0060b.htm|publisher=Guide to Australian Business Records|accessdate=2008-04-27]

References