Great Universal catalogue

Following a rebrand in January 2011
Great Universal is now known as Kay & Co

Great Universal history
Universal Stores, as it was know then, was set up in 1900 by Abraham and George Rose as a mail order business based in Manchester. It was not until 1930 that the company changed its name to The Great Universal Stores Limited. By that time it was the leading mail order business in the UK and was listed on the London Stock Exchange in the following year.

In 1937 GUS acquired Kays Catalogue an established mail order company which had operated from Worcester since the 1794 and which produced the first home shopping catalogue in late 1890s. Kays remained a seperate company until the 1980s.

Great Universal today

Great Universal Stores was bought by the Barclay brothers in 2003 and is now part of the Shop Direct Group.

The Great Universal catalogue of today is like having a department store in your own home. Use the book to browse at your leisure and then order via their user friendly website, www.greatuniversal.com.