Gerry Harvey met Ian Norman while selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, and in 1961 the enterprising pair started auctioning household goods with the £700 that Ian had inherited from his father.

Soon they had expanded to selling new furniture and electrical goods and opened the first Harvey Norman store in Arncliffe, Australia.

Gerry and Ian (in partnership with Keith Lord) opened another shop in Neutral Bay. The Harvey Norman name changed to Norman Ross; Ross being the manager who looked after the Neutral Bay store.

A year later Gerry and Ian bought Keith Lord out. Norman Ross grew from strength to strength and in 1982 Gerry and Ian sold the business.

The dynamic duo reignited the Harvey Norman brand in 1982 with the opening of a bigger and better store in Auburn, Australia. Today, there are over 190 stores in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Slovenia and Ireland.

The “Go Harvey, Go Harvey, Go Harvey Norman!” jingle is still ringing true, with no signs of stopping!