06/06/2026
Just for laughs: What if? the 'Pentagon shopping centre' was designed by George Bond as The Palace Emporium, Military Road, Chatham back in 1905.
A Grand shopping experiance for the Discerning Shopper
Rising in stately red brick and finely carved stone, the Palace Emporium presents itself to the public as a noble monument to progress — yet within its handsome Edwardian walls lies a marvel of modern convenience: the largest retail emporium in the district. Designed by the esteemed George Edward Bond, the building unites architectural dignity with the bustling energy of contemporary commerce.
Visitors entering through the great columned portico will find themselves in a vast, skylit hall where the latest household goods, furnishings, garments, and mechanical novelties are displayed with scientific precision. Electric lifts convey patrons to the upper galleries, where departments devoted to domestic comforts, naval outfitting, and the newest labour‑saving appliances await inspection.
Throughout the season, demonstrations of modern contrivances — from improved washing apparatus to ingenious kitchen ranges — are conducted for the instruction of the public. Knowledgeable attendants stand ready to advise, ensuring that every visitor may partake in the benefits of industry brought directly to the citizen’s hand.
The Palace stands as a proud symbol of Chatham’s commercial vitality: a place where enterprise, elegance, and public convenience meet beneath one magnificent roof.
