Editing Waitrose (section)

== History ==
Founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor, Waitrose & Partners began as a small grocery, Waite, Rose & Taylor, in [[Acton, London|Acton]], [[West London]].<ref name=History>{{cite web |url=http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/about_waitrose/corporate_information/company_history.html |title=Company History |publisher=Waitrose |access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref> In 1908, two years after David Taylor had left the business, the name "Waitrose", from the remaining founders' names, was adopted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ciao.co.uk/Waitrose_Shop__82235 |title=Founders |publisher=Ciao |access-date=25 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710063357/http://www.ciao.co.uk/Waitrose_Shop__82235 |archive-date=10 July 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In 1937, the company, consisting of ten shops and 160 employees, was taken over by the John Lewis Partnership.<ref name="History" /> In 1944, the partnership purchased the South [[Essex]] grocery business Schofield and Martin, which had 12 shops in its chain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waitrosememorystore.org.uk/page_id__238.aspx|title=Acquisition of small food chains by Linda Moroney – Waitrosememorystore.co.uk|access-date=31 March 2016}}</ref>

In 1955, the chain opened its first Waitrose supermarket in [[Streatham]], London, and continued to expand throughout London and the South East of England during the 1960s. In the 1970s, Waitrose opened branches in [[Hampshire]], [[Bedfordshire]], Essex and [[Cambridgeshire]]. On 16 June 2016 the shop's most southerly branch opened in [[Truro]], [[Cornwall]].<ref>{{cite news|title='Exciting times' as Waitrose and Great Cornish Food Shop open|date=16 June 2016|newspaper=West Briton|url=http://www.westbriton.co.uk/exciting-times-great-cornish-food-store-opens/story-29404499-detail/story.html|access-date=16 June 2016}}{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In the early 21st century, Waitrose continued its expansion, which included purchasing shops from [[Somerfield]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/619214.stm |title=Somerfield sells shops |work=BBC News |date=26 January 2000 |access-date=25 February 2009}}</ref> [[Morrisons]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2004/mar/26/supermarkets |title=Waitrose buys former Safeway shops |work=The Guardian |date=26 March 2004 |access-date=25 February 2009 | location=London | first=Julia | last=Finch}}</ref> and [[Woolworths (United Kingdom)|Woolworths]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/jun/19/woolworths.retail?gusrc=rss&feed=business |title=Is Woolies finished? |work=The Guardian |date=19 June 2008 |access-date=25 February 2009 | location=London | first=Julia | last=Finch}}</ref>

In 2009 the firm signed a deal with [[Alliance Boots]] which allowed Boots to operate branded pharmacies in Waitrose shops and Boots shops to sell Waitrose food products.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Creevy |first=Jennifer |url=http://www.retail-week.com/retail-sectors/food/waitrose-chases-convenience-market-and-signs-deal-with-boots-uk/5006555.article |title=Waitrose chases convenience market and signs deal with Boots UK |magazine=Retail Week |date=24 September 2009 |access-date=25 December 2012}}</ref> The partnership between the companies ended in 2012 having been deemed unsuccessful, which led to Boots replacing Waitrose products with items from Irish retailer [[Musgrave Group|Musgrave's]] [[SuperValu (Ireland)|SuperValu]] chain.<ref>{{cite web|last=Zuke |first=Elinor |url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/companies/symbols-and-buying-groups/musgrave/boots-turns-to-musgrave-after-waitrose-trial-flops/232078.article |title=Boots turns to Musgrave after Waitrose trial flops |work=The Grocer |date=30 August 2012 |access-date=25 December 2012}}</ref>

Profitability issues at the end of the decade resulted in John Lewis announcing the closure of five Waitrose shops in 2018 and the sale of a further five Waitrose shops to other retailers in 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=John Lewis cuts staff bonus to lowest level since 1953|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/07/john-lewis-cuts-staff-bonus-to-lowest-level-since-1953|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 March 2019|author=Sarah Butler}}</ref>