Starting out in 1876 as a tailor, outfitter and drapery seller, founder Joseph Ely chose a location on Alexandra Road after testing the potential for custom by counting the number of people who passed the corner each hour. Ten years of successful trading later, and Wimbledon’s first department store relocated to its present premises on the corner of Worple Road.
Morleys Stores Group acquired Elys in 1996, with a major refurbishment introducing a new generation of high-end brands and helping to shape the store for the future. Today, Elys is a leading department store offering fashion, beauty, homeware, food and drink and furniture, alongside services including personal styling and shopping, alterations and aesthetics. As Elys celebrates 150 years in Wimbledon, its commitment to the local community remains strong, with recent collaborations including Sustainable Merton, Wimbledon BookFest, Wimbledon College of Art and Small Business Wonders. Elys is celebrating this special milestone by sharing stories and hosting events from August through to December.
Gregory Hamilton, General Manager of Elys said:
We are thrilled and proud to hold such a special place in Wimbledon, both in people’s hearts and in our location at the heart of Wimbledon Town Centre. From our humble beginnings we feel privileged to have grown together with Wimbledon over the last 150 years and look forward to the future and our continuing development alongside Wimbledon Town Centre.
