The Central Department Store

The Central Department Store was established by Scottish businessmen Mirrielees and Muir in the first half of the 19th century. It was the first Moscow store for the middle-class.

Having seen the Maly Theatre, turn your attention to the peculiar architectural piece to the right. This is one of the largest shopping centers of Moscow, established by Scottish businessmen A.Mirrielees and E.Muir. One of the innovations here allowed fashionable women to determine the colour of silk clothes in a special dark room lit by gas lamps. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov used to come here to buy hats, writing paper and furniture for his new house in Yalta. Chekhov loved Muir & Mirrielees and even named two of his dogs after the department store owners.

In 1900 the shop burnt down. However, bricklayer's scaffold was soon raised there. The new store was designed by R.Klein. Electric lifts were installed causing a sensation. Muscovites and tourists can find everything they need in TsUM today.