Coogans History

William Coogan

founder of one of Tasmania's oldest companies

In 1876, William Coogan sailed to Hobart where he was offered employment as an upholsterer. In October 1876 he moved to Launceston and took the first step towards what was to become in the 1920's the largest furniture manufactory in Australia.

Starting from a one room workshop in a shared shop front, William Coogan went on to build a factory which became noted for top quality hand made furniture produced from the finest Tasmanian timbers, items that are now prized purchases at antique auctions of the present day.

The factory, certainly the largest in Australia and possibly in the Southern hemisphere, sent shiploads to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, filled government and municipal orders, as well as supplying retail stores in Launceston, Hobart, Burnie and Ulverstone.

William created employment for hundreds of Tasmanians, many of whom were employed for over half a century. Existing records show staff were paid above the normal wage and many were paid a pension on retirement.

Easy Finance Terms

Introduced as early as 1902

Following the establishment of the Hobart factory in Elizabeth Street, Coogans introduced their Time Payment Plan which offered to completely furnish three rooms with furniture for 14 pounds, 10 shillings ($29) on an easy weekly payment plan. Easy finance has remained a feature of Coogans to the present day.

By 1903 Coogans had outgrown their Brisbane street store and took out a lease on a warehouse in Cameron Street. The following year William Coogan purchased 3 acres of land in Invermay and built the Coogans furniture factory which supplied Tasmanian and mainland families, schools and government organisations with furniture over the ensuing years.

In 1912 Coogans moved into the Collins Street store and in 1919 purchased the Globe Furniture Company on the corner of George and Cameron Streets in Launceston.

Doing business during the depression

By 1921 Coogans Invermay factory had expanded from 3 to 10 acres and was the largest furniture manufacturer in Australia and possibly the southern hemisphere. Although Coogans continued to expand in the early 20's, by 1929 export prices fell by half and the Australian pound was devalued. Invermay experienced a severe flood and stores of timber were lost. As the depression worsened the business was run at a loss to avoid sacking good staff.

The War Years

The introduction of telephone communication between the mainland and Tasmania in 1936 coupled with the economic recovery in 1938 began to see a return to business growth for Coogans. Following the outbreak of war in 1939 some employees enlisted and sailed to the Middle East. Ronald Coogan, Williams grandson fought in the battles of Tobruk. During the war the Elizabeth street property was used by the Government to hold all the gas masks, stirrup pumps and steel helmets for the population of Southern Tasmania.

1950's - Focus on Retailing

In 1955 Coogans reluctantly closed the Invermay factory and purchased an area at Mowbray Heights to house their showroom. Extensions and alterations were also carried out on the Brisbane Street store. In 1957 Coogans closed their Hobart factory and set up an Electrical Department in their Collins street store. Coogans was the first store in Tasmania to sell their advertised goods on NO DEPOSIT terms.

In March 1960, there was an enormously high demand for television receivers, which followed the transmission of the first television test patterns on Mount Wellington. Coogans offered sets for sale or rent and offered both installation and servicing of Television sets. They were the first organisation in Tasmanian to offer a Rental Scheme and Coogans was also the first retail store in Tasmania to advertise on TV.

By the end of 1964 business extended into the Main Road Moonah area with the opening of the Moonah Furniture Supermarket. The opening of the Tasman Bridge significantly improved deliveries to the Eastern Shore which previously had been disrupted by weather conditions affecting the Floating Arch bridge.

1967 Bush fires

During the 1967 bush fires, Coogans placed their entire fleet of radio controlled vehicles and drivers at the disposal of the police. For several days they patrolled outlying areas spotting and reporting new outbreaks. The Collins street store acted as a collection point for donated household goods.

Focus on Southern Tasmania

The 70's saw the closure of the Launceston showrooms. With the business now concentrated in the South, Coogans introduced their NO INTEREST concept to their Finance Scheme. William Coogan's original Easy Payment Plan is still in operation but now at a stage undreamed of by him 130 years ago.

90's to now

Extensive alterations were carried out on the Collins Street showrooms in January 1991. The Electrical department then covered virtually the whole ground floor, twelve times the space allotted when the department was formed in 1957.

Additions were made to the Moonah Store with the erection of an additional two stories which opened in October 1995, with further additions completed in 2004.

The 2004 expansion allowed Coogans to update their electrical department, expand their furniture department, and gave Coogans the opportunity to centralise their warehouse at their 7 day a week store. In the same year Coogans closed their warehouse in Warwick Street which is still today an iconic building in the suburbs of Hobart.

Coogans Today

Today Coogans remain an institution within Tasmania. With a respected history, Coogans continue to provide quality home and electrical goods to Tasmanian households on the NO FEES, NO DEPOSIT and FREE DELIVERY terms that William Coogan envisaged over 130 years ago. Coogans friendly staff are here to help you find what you're looking for and their easy finance solutions and free delivery let you take your purchases home today!

Want to read more about the Coogans history?

A series of two books written by L.P "Chas" Dickens detailing Coogans history  and a reprint of one of Coogans early 1900's furniture catalogues are available from Fullers Bookshop from $21.95 each.

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