The store was started by George James Keddie in 1892 at 144-146 High Street as a Drapery [REF].
Keddies continued to grow, and in 1960 they bought a disused cinema, the Essoldo, that was located behind their store and opened Southend's first supermarket, which was also one of the first supermarkets in the UK, Supa-Save [REF].