Transforming marine retail

John Burns was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1835 and following his Glasgow Academy education went into business with his father manufacturing soap.

This proved so successful he was able to retire in 1867 aged only 32. After living in Switzerland for a number of years, Burns travelled extensively. He visited New Zealand in 1881 and was very impressed by this country.

In 1882 he went into business with Mr C.C. Brown Douglas to found Brown Douglas & Co in London. The following year Burns, Brown Douglas and James Wingate founded Wingate, Burns & Co in Auckland. The company set up as wholesale hardware merchants in Fort St, later moving to a substantial four-storey building in Customs St.

However, Burns and Wingate fell out and in 1891 separated the company into two separate entities – John Burns & Co and Wingate & Co. Brown Douglas remained an investor