The Howell departmental store in Cardiff, Wales is among the most noted and oldest departmental stores in the United Kingdom. It’s been there for ages. Records suggest that the Howell Departmental Store has existed since 1856. We are in 2018. That is quite some history. But what is also a great deal of history is that ever since they joined the store, two brothers- Michel and Howard Jones- have worked there for their entire life.
At first thoughts, this may have read like a “so what” piece of news. What on earth is so special about working in a departmental store? Furthermore, what is so special after all, that two brothers have been there for the longest part of their lives? Isn’t it? Well, here is the fun part about Michel and Howard Jones.
The two are identical twins. Their resemblance to one another is so astute and so darn similar that it does paint a baffling picture to read the narrative in the sameness of things. There’s a departmental store. There are two brothers. Both identical. Both’s working space is identically similar and both Michel and Howard Jones’ joining date is very similar too.
And if one thought that, this was it- then there’s more. Interestingly, the two brothers, Michel and Howard have nearly identical roles at their workplace as well. Did you hear that one before?
How often does something like that transpire in the realness of things? At the iconic departmental store, both brothers have passed decades worth of time and as they are 59, no longer filled with the energy or exuberance of youth, they are into their retirements. This is precisely where things get even more uncanny than before.
New is that Michel Jones and Howard Jones are planning to spend the rest of their lives- retired that it may be- living it side by side.
Back in the day, when the two had applied for a job at the celebrated Howell Departmental Store- the two had been interviewed together for the positions to be filled.
And theirs was, as it can be clearly seen, a love affair that began together and also ended together. The two brothers revealed, that before their legendary- also by sheer weight of time- 42-year-career began, they were interviewed on the very same floor, at the very same date for their jobs.
The only difference is that back then, they were filled with tons of energy, were excitable, bright 17-year-olds, and today they stand at the end of their career and journey. Even then, they are, interestingly and unfailingly, together.
When one of the brothers were interviewed by the famous British daily, Mirror (www.mirror.co.uk), they shared some insights and experiences about their careers back in the day and how it all began:
“We actually went to the same interview,” Michael, 59, said.
“Mrs Jenkins was the personnel manager and she interviewed us at the same time which was quite unusual.
“It was our first interview, they liked us and we liked them, and it worked out well.”
Although, their careers might have been similar in terms of how it panned out, there were often different directions that it experienced. In the case of the former, Howard, moved on from menswear, electrical, homeware, before he would graduate to the food court, his brothers’ direction would be different- from lighting to soft furnishing.
The year where the two began was 1972. This was when the journey of the twins actually began. Surely, one must be wondering that how much time has passed or as they say, how much water has flown from under the bridge. Isn’t it? Perhaps, there’s a lesson in it there. That the two were hungry for success did not matter to their own image and equation with each other. The aspect of cunning rivalry never occurred in their journey. Isn’t that truly laudable?