The Gabriel’s dynasty began in July 1946 when a 28-year-old Willmott Benjamin Gabriel (‘Ben’) began selling fruit-and-veg from a rented shop.  This shop was previously Macmillan’s Groceries, at number 40 Fountain Street, St Peter Port. This was to become the beginning of a very successful retail career, forming a much-loved part of Guernsey’s heritage. Whilst his sister traded at number 40, Ben worked for his uncle WC Renouf selling menswear further down the road at number 12.  Selling groceries was a very brave move with the vegetable markets across the road. He continued selling groceries until eventually switching to his real passion of clothes as the materials became more widely available. In 1949, he opened his clothing store from number 38, the shop he became renowned for working in even six decades later, right up until the week he passed away aged 87. Number 40 traded as a grocer up to 1952, when the success of the clothing shop gave him the capital to try out footwear. This was another brave move as he was only trained in clothing.  A public house called The Brighton at number 26 came up for auction in 1958 which was to become the textiles shop. The other shops quickly followed and soon Fountain Street was dominated by Gabriel’s shops, selling a wide range of goods including baby clothes, children’s wear, school uniforms, women’s wear, footwear and of course menswear.  Behind the shop fronts and changing rooms are storerooms and further up, living spaces.  Many members of the Gabriel family and some well-known Guernsey characters have taken residence in the flats over the years.  Remnants from pre-Gabriel’s days are evident in some buildings. For example, a kitchen at number 34 from its days as a chip shop and a cellar with meat hooks hanging from the ceiling from the days of Pommier’s charcuterie in number 28. Number 32 was also previously a pub.