Central Universal Store (TSUM)
TSUM (Central Universal Store) is a store in the center of Moscow, located on the corner of Petrovka Street and Teatralnaya Square at 2 Petrovka Street. In a 5-story building, on an area of more than 60 thousand square meters are boutiques offering fashionable clothes, bags, shoes, cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, home and travel goods. TSUM presents more than 1,500 brands with international names.
History
In the early 1880s, Scotsmen Archibald Merilies and Andrew Muir moved to Moscow from St. Petersburg. They opened a wholesale store of ladies’ hats and haberdashery on Kuznetsky Most, which quickly gained popularity due to low prices and high quality products. The popularity of “Muir and Meriliz” went far beyond Moscow – the store sent free catalogs by mail, and everyone in Russia could order any product by mail.
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In 1892, the Scots opened a new shopping center at the beginning of Petrovka Street, near the expensive stores of Kuznetsky Bridge, not far from the posh arcade. In 1900 a fire broke out in the building. As a result, it was decided to erect a new seven-storey building (its design was developed by R. Klein), which decorated the center of the then Moscow. Ultra-modern concrete and glass were combined with Gothic turrets. Buyers were taken around the floors by electric elevators. A reference department, a restaurant and a rest room were opened. In 1908 the store opened its doors to customers. By 1913 it had more than 80 departments. By the level of turnover “Muir & Merilies” was not inferior to the famous London “Harrods”. During the construction of “Muir and Meriliz” in Russia for the first time used reinforced concrete. The walls became much thinner, which allowed to further increase the retail space. The basis of the building was a steel frame. The technology was borrowed in America, where skyscrapers were built in this way.
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After the revolution, the building “Muir and Meriliza” was nationalized. One of the first Soviet stores, Mostorg, was inaugurated in it, which was later renamed TsUM – Central Department Store. During the war, the upper floors of TSUM housed barracks. In the lower floors, Muscovites were bought with cards.
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