William James Overell first established his drapery business on the corner of Ann and Warner Streets in 1883, before relocating to Brunswick Street in 1899. He then bought land in nearby Wickham Street to expand his premises. This meant Overells had frontages on Brunswick and Wickham Streets, but did not occupy the corner itself, resulting in an L-shaped footprint.
A disastrous fire destroyed the store in 1904. The rebuilt store which opened in 1907 originally had only three storeys on the Wickham Street side, with the upper three floors added two decades later. The new store was one of Brisbane’s first retailers to use electricity for lighting and to power two passenger Iifts and one goods Iift.
The State Library quotes an article describing the store’s layout in 1908:
The Wickham Street building is entirely devoted to men’s and boy’s clothing, shirts, hats, travelling goods, and men’s boots. On Brunswick Street ground floor is found manchester, dresses, ribbons, laces, gloves, hosiery and fancy goods departments. In the basement the ladies’ boot department occupies a large portion; also furnishing department, where are to be found the finest assortment of floor coverings in Brisbane. Wickham Street basement is used for bedsteads, bedding, and heavy goods.
Overells was well known for its seasonal mail order catalogues, and it also employed a team of travelling salesmen to collect orders and payments from rural customers.
In 1953 Overells was sold to the Sydney department store Walton-Sears. The title passed to Waltons in 1956, and the company made significant internal alterations during the 1960s and ‘70s. The Waltons brand was bought by Venture in 1987 and the store was rebranded bas a Venture, before it was closed in the mid-1990s.
The former Overells building was added to the Council’s Heritage Register in 2011 as a prime example of the growth and expansion of Fortitude Valley as a retail business centre in the early twentieth century. The laneway next to the Wickham Street frontage is still known as Overells Lane.
Several development projects have been proposed for the vacant site in recent years, including for university student classrooms and accommodation, but nothing has yet eventuated.
Walton’s halcyon days: a reminiscence
By Lorraine Nothling
In August 1970, I turned 21. At the time I was visiting my parents from Melbourne, where I was based with Trans Australia Airlines as an air hostess. My parents wanted to present me with a watch as part of my 21st birthday celebrations. Enthusiastically, I advised them I would love to go shopping for my watch in Fortitude Valley. Prior to moving to Melbourne, I worked in Queen Street in fashion and knew where to shop! Had a particular love for the department stores and shops in Fortitude Valley, including Waltons.
So off to Waltons I went to buy my 21st birthday watch. It is made by the Swiss brand LANCO. I still own the watch and it brings back lots of beautiful memories of my parents and living in Brisbane in the late 1960s, when man landed on the Moon! I thought I had landed on the moon when I moved to Brisbane as an 18-year-old from Redcliffe. I knew all the discos, coffee shops and restaurants in Brissie. I was a City Girl for sure and absolutely loved living in Brisbane and shopping at Waltons!!! Happy memories.
Do you remember Waltons Department Store?
Send your memories to editorial@village-voice.com.au
