Stupid question, I know.
I’ve been reading too many British chick-lit novels, and I can’t quite figure out what this place is. It seems like it’s a chain, but I’m not sure. It also seems like maybe it’s a department or clothing store - but then the characters get full take home meals there. So, is it a grocery store? Is it a combo? Is it low end, middle, high end?
Is there any store that’s comparable in the US?
It’s a department store. Slap-bang in the middle of the range, a traditional feature of a British high street - so it’s a handy metaphor in a novel for simple, traditional, the obvious option. Relatively recently they’ve moved into food retail, selling a slightly higher quality (and more expensive) selection than supermarkets offer. This has grown to become a major part of their sales.
There used to be Marks & Spencer stores in Canada as well as the UK, but I haven’t seen one in years.
Basically they sell about everything - sort of like an upscale walmart. They have they’re own brand of some items (ready meals, clothing) but I believe they carry other brands as well.
My mom used to love M&S.
Sort of a Nordstrom’s meets Trader Joe’s, I suppose. 
Good analogy. I loved Marks & Spencer, I wish they had stores around here like that. Their convenience foods were perfect for me - excellent for a single diner.
I’m surprised to see that the food section is a new feature.
I used to be a regular customer at M&S in Montreal back in the early 80’s where we’d pick up a wide variety of products by a supplier called St-Michael’s.
Potato scones were quite popular around our house.
OK, comparitively new
I don’t know if this is still true but they used to have a very good returns policy. If you were not satisfied with the product , or it became defective , they would change it or give you your money back with no questions asked. Even if you had owned it for some time .
There used to be a joke going round that Boxing Day ( December 26 ) was also called St Michael’s Day ( M & S 's brand name ) This was because of all the people getting money back from unsuitable sweaters and other clothing bought for them by well meaning friends and relatives.
Not quite - St Michael is the brand name that M&S uses for its own brand products. Actually, I don’t think it’s used so much these days - the food seems to go under the Marks & Spencer brand, and the clothing has all sorts of “trendy” names…
The St Michael brand is still going strong - just not in the overpriced stuff at the front of the store.
Until recently, M&S sold nearly all of the underwear worn in the UK. I reckon it was when women started wearing posh knickers all the time that their current financial woes began.
St. Michael’s Port is surprisingly yummy.
And M&S features my favourite line of clothing (seriously!) - “per Una”:
I’m pretty sure everything in M&S is own-brand.
Marks & Spencer is sometimes referred to as ‘Marks & Sparks’
OK someone ship me a couple thousand of those chocolate muffin thingies with caramel in the center?
Now I’m craving them something fierce.
While you’re at it, send me a crate of M&S Sticky Toffee Pudding. Ta.
I only know this song from the Belle and Sebastian song 'the state that I am in," and I’ve heard “Marks and Sparks” in Mott the Hoople’s ‘All the Young Dudes’
Don’t worry about missing anything important, PaulFitzroy: Belle & Sebastian being a more informative source than M&S suggests that my geek adolescence wasn’t an entire waste.
silenus writes:
> Sort of a Nordstrom’s meets Trader Joe’s, I suppose.
I think that Trader Joe’s is more upscale than Marks and Spencer.