3:59pm Thursday 9th September 2010
By Martin George
Twenty lucky customers will receive £20 in vouchers when John Lewis celebrates 20 years of trading in Kingston on September 11.
Kingston mayor Councillor Chrissie Hitchcock will open the celebrations at 9am, when the first 20 customers will receive their reward and other shoppers will be invited to have a slice of birthday cake.
Visitors will also have a rare opportunity to visit the store’s historic 14th century undercroft – the only flint and chalk lined cellar in the UK, which was discovered along with the remains of the 12th century Kingston bridge when the building’s foundations were laid.
Children’s entertainers will offer free face painting on the third floor, with two characters from the Sylvanian Families in the toy department for photographs at 2pm.
Selling assistant Andrew Richardson started at John Lewis Kingston on opening day in 1990 in the sports department and now works in furniture.
He said: “The branch has seen many changes over the years. When I first started here one of the best sellers in the sports department was leotards and now we sell cross trainers and treadmills.”
John Lewis Kingston is open from 9am to 7pm on Saturday, and the undercroft will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/trade_directory/