Cash & Co. Department Store

Cash & Co

The Brown Thomas building on St Patrick's Street, formerly Cash & Co Department Store

Copyright Cork City Libraries

Cash & Co
Copyright Cork City Libraries

Cash & Co

The Brown Thomas building on St Patrick's Street, formerly Cash & Co Department Store

Copyright Cork City Libraries

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A shop was opened in Saint Patrick's Street in 1830 by a Mr Todd. The store prospered and expanded and over the years was known variously as Todd's, Carmichael and Company, and J. Carmichael and Company. In 1877 the firm became a private company with the title Cash and Company Ltd.: to Corkonians it was always known as Cash's. The store was destroyed by fire during the burning of Cork on 11 December 1920. A new store was built on the same site with an elegant façade of Little Island limestone. Cash and Company joined the Switzer group in 1962. After various changes of ownership during the 1970's and 1980's, the company was sold to Brown Thomas in April 1991. After extensive refurbishment and expansion of the store, it was officially renamed Brown Thomas on 27 March 1998. Another major revamp of Brown Thomas was undertaken in 2002. Through its various changes of ownership the store has retained its reputation as one of the most stylish and exclusive shops in Cork.

Cash's is mentioned in an old and largely forgotten Cork lullaby:

I'll buy my baby stockings
I'll buy my baby shoes
I'll buy my baby stockings
And I'll send her off to school
She was the doll in Cash's window
She was the doll in Cash's oh
She was the doll in Cash's window
No one knows my own babóg