"Formed in 1908 and opened on Tuesday Dec 8 1908 by a partnership of a Mr R J BLACKLER, who had small outlets in the city and a Mr A.B.WALLIS. The new store was the biggest store in Liverpool and at it's heyday employed a staff of 1000. By the May Blitz of 1941, when it was destroyed it was in the hands of the WALLIS family as Mr BLACKLER had died without issue. From time to time during the war, the basement was flooded to provide an extra water supply for the Fire Fighters. Temporary shops were set up, one in Church St and another thirteen in Bold St. It was then rebuilt and the first part re-opened on 29 Mar 1953, it finally closed in 1988 and is now a Weatherspoons Pub (One in a large chain of pubs). "

David Whitley, Secretary of the Rainhill Civic Society tells me that:" George Harrison, the Beatle, used to work at Blacklers. I know because I had a Christmas job there in 1959 and he was an apprentice electrician. Can't claim to have known him but I was on nodding terms like you are with people who you see from day to day at work. When the Beatles first went on TV I thought - I know that lad's face." -Thanks David!

References:

ENG-LIVERPOOL-L Archives. Accessed 27th April 2008.

Blacklers. (2007, November 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:16, April 27, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blacklers&oldid=171852607