Hickies

 

General Info
Full Name: Hickies
Address: 152 Friar Street
Opened-Closed: 1864-current
Brief History

Trading from 1864 at a residential address in Great Knollys Street (probably as a piano tuners and repairers) the Hickie brothers’ apparent steady progress led, in 1908, to a move to 153 Friar Street – the premises that continues to carry the family name to this day.
At the time, just a few doors away at 159 Friar Street a music shop run by a Miss Binfield (later to become Atwells and Binfield) was managed by J.E. Hickie, who later moved to 153 with his brother, William. Although continuing to operate under the name of Hickie, the business took a giant step forward in 1913 when it was purchased by Frank William Elphick who was instrumental in setting up a piano repair workshop at 20 London Street, and a radio and television workshop in Chatham Street.
In 1958 Frank Elphick retired leaving Hickies to his 3 sons. The store has been under the family’s management ever since, currently in the family’s 3rd generation since Frank Elphick, with some members of the family having worked there for over 50 years!
Stories

Business Changes:
Hickies has followed good business plans ever since it began. Starting out as a simple piano selling business, it soon incorporated repairs too. As radio and TV grew in popularity Hickies began to sell and rent these items too, and for a while this was its most successful service – during the early post-WW2 years the shop employed 80 staff, many of these repairmen for these new technologies. In the 1950s they expanded again, selling guitars as Rock and Roll swept the country, and by the 1960s it was also selling records. They have also provided music tuition for many years, thus encapsulating a world of music and technology under one business.
Centenary:
In 1964 Hickies celebrated its 100th year of continued business, with the story being covered in the Reading Standard and Reading Chronicle.
Famous Faces:
Hickies has played host to a variety of famous faces over the years. In the 60s several bands such as the Wild Ones, Amboy Dukes, the Movers, Mackandas and the Falcons were frequent visitors to the shop. More recently, Lenny Henry has made an appearance, as to has actor/musician Alan Fletcher (aka Karl Kennedy from “Neighbours”) whose guitar was fixed by the BBC’s Rogue Traders team!
Links and Resources
Personal accounts from Hickies staff
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