During the 1880s and 1890s the shop at no.53 High Street was owned by Hunter & McMorran, Ironmongers. This was the first shop in the town to have electric lighting which was powered from a private generator. It was installed by David Hunter, one of the partners, who was a pioneer in the field of electrical engineering. This close was named after him.

Hunter later left the partnership and concentrated on his engineering skills and was responsible for fitting the first shop in Edinburgh with electric light. He was also an enthusiastic astronomer and builder of astronomical telescopes. One of his telescopes was built for the Astronomer Royal in Edinburgh.