Community store reaches 100-year milestone!
It’s a big birthday bash as Jock Morrison Food Town celebrates with the community
,n 1918, 100 years ago, the world was a different place.
There were no television – they would only first be seen at around 1925 – and no computers - the world’s first computer making an appearance in 1946.
Although the first radio broadcast had taken place in 1906 in the US, radio only made its debut in South Africa in 1923.
Meanwhile telephones had arrived on South African shores in 1878, but only a very small percentage of the population had a telephone by 1918.
There were very few motor vehicles on the roads and the country was called the Union of South Africa, falling under British dominion.
This was also the year that Spanish flu hit many parts of the world, including South Africa, to which an estimated 500 000 people succumbed.
More than 50 million people eventually died worldwide during this influenza pandemic.
Of course, 1918 was also the birth year of our beloved Madiba, who would have been 100 this year.
Early beginnings
1918 also saw the end of the First World War, with the peace treaty being signed on 11 November.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the owner of a local general dealer store, suffering from shell shock on his return from the war, found he was no longer able to run his business.
He recruited a young man called Jock Morrison to take over the store.
For the 18-year-old Morrison, who was originally from Hiberdeen in Scotland, this was the beginning of Jock Morrison & Sons (Pty) Ltd.
In 2018, 100 years and four generations later, Jock Morrison is run by the original founder’s great-grandsons, Rob, Mark and Nick Morrison, who are the current directors.
This flourishing family-owned business consists of five retail stores, two hardware outlets and a liquor store, all based in northern Zululand.
A store for everyone
The company’s flagship store, Jock Morrison Food Town Mtuba, provides a superb shopping experience to the thousands of customers who come into the store on a weekly basis.
The 3 000m² store has both retail and wholesale bulk components, with large service departments including fruit and vegetables, a butchery, bakery and a deli for a complete shopping experience.
Jock Morrison Food Town Hluhluwe is slightly smaller, but at 2 700m² there is still ample space for its huge range of products. The store also has a retail and wholesale offer for both the general public and traders who buy in bulk.
Customers can also shop at the recently opened Power Build hardware outlet, with an impressive range of quality hardware products at competitive prices.
The range includes wet trade, structure and timber materials, rainwater goods, fencing, plumbing, power tools, building tools and accessories, automotive nuts and bolts, brooms and plastic ware, electrical goods, paint and accessories, security, garden and outdoor, home decor, pool maintenance, wall and floor, tiles and accessories, workshop and a contractors’ counter.
There is also a Jock Morrison liquor outlet in Hluhluwe.
Jock Morrison Value Food Town Mbazwana is Jock Morrison’s newest store.
Built in 2011, this vibey retail outlet has a bakery, deli, a well-stocked fruit & veg section and an excellent butchery that includes a Shisa Nyama ‘buy-and-braai’, providing a popular meeting spot for locals to enjoy great food and socialise with family and friends.
The original Jock Morrison Food Town Mbazwana store has been transformed into a wholesale outlet that services trader customers in the area and surrounds.
It also features a newlylaunched, very popular Power Build hardware outlet, catering for contractors and homeowners who find all their hardware and paint requirements here.
Jock Morrison Food Town Jozini is mainly a retail store, although traders will find some bulk items here.
It is the smallest of the five stores at
1 500m², but its large range, friendly service and low prices make it very popular in this small town.
Jozini, which is located in the Umkhanyakude District Municipality, has become popular as a tiger fishing destination. It is also a good stopover for those heading to Mozambique.
All the stores offer deliveries for bulk purchases, which, together with highly competitive pricing, attention to customer service and an excellent range of products, keep shoppers coming back, time after time.
‘As an independent, family-owned business in a corporate dominated industry, we have the flexibility to adapt quickly to our customer’s needs and requirements,’ says Nick Morrison, Director, Jock Morrison & Sons.