1970 - 1985
1970
Sales reach £50 million. Jones Yarrell & Co. Ltd., the retail news and stationery firm, joins the group.
1973
Retail Division opens its largest ever store at 107 Princes Street, Edinburgh. The executive offices of the Group dirs were later located above the store.
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1976
The first issue of the monthly John Menzies News, replacing The Chronicle is published. Buchanan Street in Glasgow has its niche in Menzies history. Advance publicity for the opening in 1974 whipped up a lot of interest and the staff speculated on a stampede. But they were unprepared for the multitudes who massed round the main doors a full forty-eight hours before the inauguration. All was explained when the manager fought his way through to find a rock-singer giving an impromptu recital, with his guitar pluggedinto a Menzies switchbox which hadn't been sealed down.
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1980
Group total sales top the £200 million mark. Terry Blood (Records) Ltd., wholesale record and tape distributor, becomes part of the group.
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1981
Children's Books (Rugeley) Ltd., wholesale suppliers of books, toys and games, becomes part of the group.
For the year ending 1981 pre-tax profits were £7.6 million.
- the Glasgow Herald in the sort of tribute which had become typical in the financial pages of the press when the company reported its annual position.
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1982
The Lonsdale Universal group of companies and Cambridge Jackson are acquired.
In May, John Menzies won the battle for Lonsdale Universal plc with a £6.3 million takeover bid. Lonsdale Universal plc was a Middlesex company dealing with library supply, commercial stationery, and technical publications.
Lonsdale's library business, still known under its old name of Woolston & Blunt, was merged with that of Cambridge Jackson, to form an international business with arms in Australia, Canada and the USA.
A rather picturesque link with Iceland is no more: consignments of books, magazines and newspapers from Menzies' Warrington branch used to be sent down to Runcorn docks once a fortnight for passage to Reykjavik in the motor vessel Kjalfoss, a service now suspended.
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1983
John Menzies plc celebrates its 150th Anniversary.
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1985
Microlink - the unique computer system developed by John Menzies Wholesale - was introduced. Microlink targeted extra copies of newspapers and magazines to outlets with proven potential, helping to ensure that the retailers display shelf space was used to its maximum effect. At the same time Microlink helped provide faster and more accurate market information. Iain Callaghan, Director of John Menzies Wholesale, said
In May 1985 Early Learning Centre was acquired by the John Menzies Group. At that time it had just over 100 shops and was the first national toy chain to specialise in providing toys which gave children the opportunity to learn through play.
Products were sourced world-wide, with many being specially designed or commissioned to ensure the right quality and educational benefit.
The following year Early Learning Centre was one of the first retailers in the UK to pioneer the concept of Mother and Baby rooms. The first shops in the USA were trialled.
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