When it comes to department stores, Kingsmill’s is the king of the castle. Run by the same family for over five generations, this tall building sandwiched in on one of London’s oldest streets has managed to adapt to the times by combining a robust business online with nuanced touches of the past like a manual elevator with its very own attendant, Dolly Magee. (If you don’t want to take a ride, check out the display cases in the stairwell detailing the storied history of the place.)

The present structure in the heart of the downtown core has been in place for some eighty years, and no matter where you look on any of the four floors of showrooms you’ll see something pleasing. Look up and your eyes can feast on tin-plated ceilings; look down as your feet glide effortlessly over hardwood floors. Look around and you’ll see unique goods, many made in Canada, lit by the new eco-friendly system in departments that have won design awards. 

And in all your looking, you may get lucky and catch a glimpse of the fourth generation Kingsmill, octogenarian Thomas Frederick, still making cane-assisted rounds of the store now mainly run by his son Timothy Frederick. The elder Kingsmill takes pride in the fact that the store ships products all over the world, yet also accommodates locals with perks like free parking when they buy something. And shoppers won’t be disappointed with the 55,000 square feet of store to explore, included the recently renovated Gourmet Kitchen Shop.

When asked about staying afloat for over a hundred years while other big department stores have fallen, Mr. Kingsmill has an enigmatic smile and this to say: “Who would have thought it?”

kingsmills.com