The business was founded in Manchester in 1873 by Joseph Cadman and James Fish as the Star Tea Company.[1] Soon, many towns in England had their own Star Supply Store, as immortalised in a verse from John Betjeman's poem Myfanwy:[2]
Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle,
Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge,
Home and Colonial, Star, International,
Balancing bicycle leant on the verge.
In 1922 the company, which by then had built up a chain of over 300 shops, bought Ridgways, a leading blender.[1] In 1929 Star Supply Stores was acquired by International Tea Co. Stores.[1]
