A lost fashion giant that was "famous" for its low prices was a place where "everyone used to go" for generations.
Sometimes known as Coats and 'Ats, C&A was a popular fashion giant that had something for everyone. The name of the colourful budget brand came from the first initials of each owner.
C&A was founded in 1841 by German-Dutch brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer, before it became a major presence throughout the UK. According to their website, Clemens and August’s ancestors had long been successful traders in northern Holland, leaving the family farm in 1671 to sell their wares as travelling linen merchants and it was in Mettingen in the 1830s that Clemens and August were apprenticed as little more than boys to learn their trade.
