Fortnum & Mason
Fortnum & Mason (colloquially often shortened to just Fortnum's) is an upmarket department store in London, England. The main store is located at 181 Piccadilly in the St James's area of London, where it was established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason. There are additional stores at The Royal Exchange, St Pancras railway station and Heathrow Airport in Greater London, at K11 Musea in Hong Kong, as well as various stockists worldwide. Fortnum & Mason is privately owned by Wittington Investments Limited.
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1707 |
| Founders | William Fortnum Hugh Mason |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 5 (2019) |
Area served | United Kingdom Hong Kong Worldwide (via stockists and online) |
Key people | Chairman: Kate Hobhouse CEO: Tom Athron |
| Products | Luxury goods |
Number of employees | 708 (2016) |
| Parent | Wittington Investments Ltd |
| Website | fortnumandmason.com |
Founded as a grocery store, Fortnum's reputation was built on supplying quality food, and it saw rapid growth throughout the Victorian era. Although Fortnum's developed into a department store, it continues to focus on stocking a variety of exotic and speciality food along with 'basic' provisions. It is known for its food hampers.
The main store has since opened several other departments, such as the gentlemen's department on the first floor. It also contains a tea shop and several restaurants.