Scanned photo of an original receipt from Whiteaways Ipoh dated 1969. Chance find in one of my toy boxes. As I can remember, Whiteaways was very much a novelty shop with lots of imported goods. It was located in the colonial building besides Miners Arm in Jalan Maharajalela. The building is currently unoccupied. They were selling very expensive Toddler Towels then at $3.00! The receipt was rather elaborate with lots of advertising behind and caring messages for the customers.
Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co., often referred to simply as Whiteaways, was indeed a prominent department store chain in the early 20th century. Founded in Calcutta in 1882 by Scotsmen E. Whiteaway and Robert Laidlaw, the store quickly became known as the “Selfridges of the East” due to its high-end European products. It catered to Europeans and affluent locals in over 20 cities across India, the Federated Malay States (FMS), and the Straits Settlements, including Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and others.
The store’s expansion reached even further, establishing branches in Canada, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Argentina, and Kenya. In places like Ipoh, Whiteaways was the leading local emporium, offering a range of products that appealed to the European expatriates, the wealthy Towkays, and the Baba Nonya community. Their offerings included fashionable clothing, furnishings, sports accessories, and a variety of goods suitable for the tropical climate.
Whiteaways’ history is a testament to the global reach and influence of department stores during that era, serving as a bridge between Eastern and Western commerce and culture. The legacy of such stores reflects the changing dynamics of trade, fashion, and consumerism during the height of the colonial period.
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