Haddon & Sly Ltd

Haddon & Sly Ltd was established in Bulawayo in 1894 as a general dealer by two traders W.H. Haddon and J.W. Sly who merged their businesses to suppress competition from other entrepreneurs. In the early days it provided a tea room and ladies rest room as facilities for country customers who had journeyed into Bulawayo by ox-wagon or cape cart.

In 1910, the company opened a men’s outfitting establishment on Manica Road, Salisbury and by 1928, it opened a second branch in Salisbury and, later, in Gwelo and became a prominent department store.

W.H. Haddon died in 1921, and J.W. Sly in 1925; the business was taken over by their family. The company continues to trade today as a supermarket and type of mall.