Columbus Radio Centres

Awesome photo - Do you know the source newspaper and date?

I also notice there is a 1958 variant of the Challenger below the 619/809/810(All three look similar from a distance, although the 810 has a darker dial so it might be one of the other two) as well - so that means its likely 1958 or 59 the photo was taken - this was right on the cusp of Pye taking over the reigns of the parent company.  In late 1960, Robert Francis Ltd from Christchurch bought all the Radio Centres.



While they continued to be called Columbus Radio Centres the product lines changed, by necessity, since the Columbus brand was on the way out of use (although it appears Pye kept it in use until about 1965, albeit with Pye chassis') - and they became general appliance stores stocking all manner of things including Bell / General, Philips and DRECO radios and record players, Admiral and Autocrat (and briefly, Columbus) TVs, Astor stereograms, Prestcold, Bonaire and HMV fridges / freezers, HMV / Norge washing machines, house and desk lamps and more.  The stores seem to have lasted into the 70's and I'm still trying to work out their final demise - I assume they were bought out by one of the more modern chains of appliance retailers but haven't traced it fully yet.

I have a couple of photos of Radio Centres - here is one that came to me with a pile of papers on Radio Corp which shows what I assume to be the owner(s) and/or a company rep - Alan & Joan Hughes and Stan Shea - I don't know any of these names so if anyone recognises them I'd love to work out what store this is.  The date is likely late 1939 - note the model 94 and 95's behind them - these started production with an oval dial in 1939 but changed to the new slide-rule style based on design ideas Fred Green brought with him to the factory when he come from England.  1940 saw the introduction of the model 75 although none is in evidence here so that pretty much puts a fairly tight timeframe on this one.  I love the point-of-sale stuff in these photos too... the whole design of the store and the sales ephemera was just very well done.



If anyone knows, or knows of, Alan & Joan Hughes and/or Stan Shea I'd love to hear from you.

For what it is worth ,I worked as an after school message boy for a chemist here in Christchurch in the 1960s. I recall being sent to deliver or collect an appliance from a Christchurch Columbus Radio Centre which (those of you with better memories than mine may correct me)was located on the west side of Colombo Street between ,I think, Tuam and Lichfield Streets.The shop had the distinctive decor and the assistants seemed jovial enough.This would have been in 1962 at the earliest - when I was in the fourth form.