Hurstville Museum & Gallery’s newest exhibition invites you Albury, the city on the Murray River in southern NSW, and into one of its most famous shops.
Emporium – Inside Albury’s most famous department store is a travelling exhibition exploring the historical rise of the department store, image-based advertising and ready-to-wear clothing in the 20th century.
The shop is Abikhair’s Emporium, one of Albury’s first and longest running department stores which operated for almost 70 years.
The family business was run by Syrian immigrants Saad Milham Abikhair with his wife, Shefia, who opened the store in 1928.
It was known for its girdles, stockings, clothing, household supplies, beauty supplies, toiletries, shoes, hats and more.
The purpose-built store had separate entries for men and women, as it was considered inappropriate for men to see, let alone purchase, women’s unmentionables.
The exhibition focuses on the role of women in the 50s, and the evolution of fashion from the early 20th century.