In 1849, John Boot established a small shop in Goose Gate selling herbal remedies. After John’s death, his widow Mary carried on the thriving business with the help of her son Jesse. You can still see the original shop, with the ornate glass frontage installed by Jesse, although it’s no longer a pharmacy. Jesse had ambitions for Boots to become a nationwide chain and by 1914 he had 550 shops. In 1904, he opened his flagship store on the corner of High Street and Pelham Street, a magnificently ornate building with elaborately carved window frames and a clock tower. You won’t find pills and ointments here today – it’s now a Zara. But it’s only a three-minute walk along Clumber Street to the new Boots flagship store in the Victoria Centre.
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