Our Heritage

Our heritage dates back to 1888, 5 Generations of the Roome family have been involved in the running of Roomes.

Both stores enjoy renewed investment. The Fashion and Home Store being sold to another family store group Morleys Stores who have invested further in the infrastructure and the brands.

The Furniture and Interior Store run is by the 4th and 5th generations of the Roome family. Further investments have been made in the fabric of the building, including solar power, and in the recent acquisition of warehousing space in Rainham.

1888

Where it all began

The first general store was opened in 1888 on Green Street Upton Park, by James Roome, a master draper, selling everything from Haberdashery to Homewares, and from Clothing to Corsets.

Business is good

The business continued to thrive when in 1906 Roome Family move to Engayne Gardens, Upminster which was then still a small town in Essex but was on the verge of what was soon to be great expansion. In the same year James son MB Roome a newly qualified Draper joins the business and is renamed James Roome & Son.

1906

20s & 30s

Expansion Begins

Land was acquired in 1925 and in 1927 a new store was opened on the West side of the Station Road. It wasn’t long before further land acquisitions were made and it was agreed to sell the Upton park Store and redevelop the Upminster. In 1937 the new Store opened.

“Magnificent in its splendour and luxurious in its fittings and equipment the new store, the first departmental business in the Hornchurch Urban District, marks yet another rung in the ladder of progress, enterprise and achievement of a business founded and built up on good honest trading, and maintained by the high quality of goods which are sold and the excellence of the service that is always available’

The Hornchurch & Upminster News

Onwards and Upwards

Following the the Second World war M.B.Roome’s son David joins the business together with his brother John and expansion within our heritage continues with further acquisitions at 51-53 Station Road allowing the development of a new Furniture Store (This is now the current site of Marks & Spencer).

70s & 80s

Continued Success

Throughout the 1970’s & 1980’s our continued success allowed our heritage to acquire further land and add a further 3 Storey extension the Department Store,

creating the Fashion & Home store that you see in Station Road today. During the same period, David retires from the business as John’s son Stephen joins, with Michael joining in the mid 80’s.

90s & 00s

The Story Continues

The old Talbot Garage Site at 22-24 Station Road was acquired in 1999 and a purpose built 25,000 sq ft Furniture Store was opened September 2001.

This was further developed in 2006-7 when Jarvo’s DIY was acquired allowing the Furniture & Interiors store to be developed to 42,000 sq ft at the same time vacating the site at 51/53 Station Road to develop a site for Marks and Spencer – a much valued addition to the town.

A Shared Brand

Both stores enjoy renewed investment – the Fashion and Home Store being sold to another family store group, Morleys Stores, who have invested further in the infrastructure and the brands.

The Furniture & Interior Store run by the 4th & 5th Generations of the Roome family with further investment being made in the fabric of the building (including solar power) and in the recent acquisition of warehousing space in Rainham.

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