The company grew steadily during the early 20th century and in 1936 began a period of growth through acquisition which would continue for over forty years.

[1] The public float happened in 1995, when it was listed in the FTSE Index as House of Fraser plc, with Harrods moved into the private ownership of the Al Fayeds.

In 1856 the wholesale business moved to a larger site in Miller Street, Glasgow, and started to trade under the name Arthur & Co.

[4] In 1936 he purchased Arnott & Co Ltd and its neighbour Robert Simpson & Sons Ltd in nearby Argyle Street, merging the companies to help improve trade.

[4] Fraser sold the property sites to insurance companies, leasing them back for long terms at advantageous rates.

A takeover bid by Lonrho was referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and declared to be contrary to the public interest.

[4] Four new stores opened between 1980 and 1984,[4] including D H Evans in Wood Green, North London in 1980, Dickins & Jones in Milton Keynes in 1981, Frasers in Perth in April 1984, and Army & Navy in Epsom, Surrey in May 1984.

[4] Other developments during the 1980s included the introduction of "Lifestyle" merchandise ranges and a huge investment in store refurbishment nationwide.

In 1983 the Company introduced the Frasercard (later renamed Recognition), valid at all stores, and administered from a central facility based in Swindon.

In September 1990, two new department stores were opened, a House of Fraser in the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, and Schofields in Leeds.

In 1994, before House of Fraser PLC was relisted on the London Stock Exchange, Harrods was moved out of the Group so that it could remain under the private ownership of the Al Fayed family.

[4] The House of Fraser logo was revised in 1996 with the leaping stag now going over an "F" shadow and shop signs using a serif typeface.

[11] The Company added to its private-label brands in 2000 with House of Fraser womenswear, The Collection menswear, and a Linea Home.

[4] In 2003, Tom Hunter put forward a hostile bid for the Group, with the possible intention to merge with Allders, another department store in which he had shareholdings.

[22] The company had four major openings in 2008, including its first store in Northern Ireland in the newly built Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Belfast in March.

[27] In April 2014, it was reported by BBC News that House of Fraser would be sold to Chinese conglomerate Sanpower Group, who would obtain 89% share in the company which would value the business at about £450 million.

[28] Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co will buy an 89% stake in Highland Group Holdings Ltd, which owns House of Fraser.

[32] On 7 June 2018, the company announced that it would close 31 of its 58 UK stores:[33] Altrincham • Aylesbury • Birkenhead • Birmingham • Bournemouth • Camberley • Cardiff • Carlisle • Chichester • Cirencester • Cwmbran • Darlington • Doncaster • Edinburgh Frasers • Epsom • Grimsby • High Wycombe • Hull • Leamington Spa • Lincoln • London Oxford Street • London King William Street • Middlesbrough • Milton Keynes • Plymouth • Shrewsbury • Skipton • Swindon • Telford • Wolverhampton • Worcester This included the flagship Oxford Street branch and the largest store, Birmingham, to be closed by January 2019.

[34] Richard Lim of Retail Economics said that it remained "hard to know with any certainty just what will happen next at House of Fraser" but that without any external funding within a matter of weeks it would inevitably fall into administration.

[32] The subsequent administration of the business meant the CVA and associated plans for restructuring (including the previously announced store closures) came to an abrupt end.

Later that day Sports Direct International agreed to buy the business' assets (brand, stock, stores) for £90 million in cash on a pre-packaged insolvency basis.

[36] House of Fraser purchased its Glasgow store building for £95 million in October 2018 and the company pledged to restore it and turn it into the 'Harrods of the north'.

[38] In July 2019 Sports Direct International expressed regret of its purchase of House of Fraser and problems at the company were described as "nothing short of terminal" it was also announced that future store closures were planned.

[39] Mike Ashley (CEO of Sports Direct) attributed the collapse of HoF to the "incompetence of previous management".

[43] In November 2021 HoF was given an eviction notice by their Oxford Street store's landlord with plans for the building to be redeveloped into leisure, office and retail spaces.

[68] They also operated clothing stores including: In the 1980s it created the brand YOU jewellery & cosmetic stores, purchased the shoe retailer Kurt Geiger, tailors Turnbull & Asser, Hawes & Curtis and James Drew,[76] in addition to growing its sports chain Astral Sports which it had purchased in 1978.