The Wonder of Woolworths

I know what you mean. Going into town usually meant a wander around Woolies.
I wonder if we will look back fondly about B&M.

I honestly can't say I miss it.
I know many people will - but I don't miss BHS, Smiths or Debenhams either.
I do miss House of Fraser in my small town.

Good to see this woman has been caught and sentenced for shoplifting and then returning stolen items asking for credit notes. There was another similar case a while ago . It puzzled me then and again now - when returning stolen goods and asking for a credit note, why does the IT system not highlight to staff that the bar code of the stolen item has not been swiped. This would soon put a stop to criminal activity of this kind. Can anybody enlighten me?

I don't know about a shoplifter, but I do miss Woolies.

Their houseware section was good for things like glasses and tea towels, and Ladybird clothes were great for babies and young children. My home town has lots of higher end shops selling what my daughter calls 'clothes for menopausal women', but nothing with a decent range of household basics - the nearest is Yorkshire Trading, but that is nowhere near as good as Woolworths.

I had a 'Saturday job' in Woolworths. Really made me grow up and I loved having some money. Shame today's youngsters have less chance to do similar.

I used to like Wilko for this, it seemed a good relacement and was probably one of the reasons Woolies began to suffer.

Here in the north we have an excellent chain called Boyes- my local one is very similar to Woolies they sell just about everything and lots of stuff you didn't even know you needed!

I miss woolies as some of their homewares and children's clothes were really very nice. The duvet sets were always on trend too. I must admit I do like home bargains and b&M but they are quite 'cheap' quality compared to what woolworths offered. I do like the factory outlet shop though but we don't have any near

There is still Woolworth in Australia. Very different to our old Woolies. The store near my daughter, is a huge supermarket downstairs and upstairs is everything else you could ever want. I look at everything I would ever want while she does the food shop.
I miss our Woolies. When I was 11 my friend Gaynor took me there on the way home from school and helped me choose my first bra. (She was already equipped). It was pale green. Sadly I had nothing to put in it but I felt very grown up. My Mum tried not to laugh 😄

Still have a Woolworths in Germany, not as good though.

The High Street shops we loved and lost is a series which started last Thursday on Channel 5. I’m not sure how many episodes there are but it’s on again this week. I enjoyed it and think that some of the posters on here might like it too. Woolworths is mentioned among many other shops.

aonk

The High Street shops we loved and lost is a series which started last Thursday on Channel 5. I’m not sure how many episodes there are but it’s on again this week. I enjoyed it and think that some of the posters on here might like it too. Woolworths is mentioned among many other shops.

Thanks. I'll check that out.

poppysmum

is it just me or do many other people miss Woolworths? half my home seems to be Woolies! it helped me when the kids were young toys clothes especially school items.
When I was a teen it was the place to go to get the latest Top 20 hits and some make up the more garish the better!
when making a home everything from mugs to cookware was from Woolworths, plus knitting patterns and yarn too keep the family clothed!
finally Christmas was the time; Christmas hits blaring out, trees decorated with brightly coloured tinsel and sparkly decorations. a lot of my decs are over 40 years old from Woolies!

We loved good old Woolies. I read somewhere recently that they were thinking of bringing it back to the high street, read this.........

Woolworths, the once-beloved pick ‘n’ mix sweets and bargain prices store, could indeed make a comeback to UK High Streets. After its British shops closed in 2009 due to the financial crisis, the brand continued in Germany as “Woolworth.” The current chief of HH Holding, Roman Heini, who has been Woolworth’s CEO since 2020, expressed interest in expanding internationally and making “Woolworth great again” in the UK. However, it’s unclear how the brand would be spelled if it returned. Woolworth Germany owns the brand name “Woolworth” (without the ‘s’) throughout Europe. While there are no immediate plans, a potential return is not ruled out for the mid- or long-term future12. The offerings might differ from the past, as Woolworth Germany now focuses on clothing and homeware at unbeatable prices1. Challenges such as supply chain disruptions and post-pandemic turmoil stand in the way, but the nostalgia for Woolworths remains strong in the UK1. So, keep an eye out for a possible comeback! 😊

Learn more

1

bbc.co.uk
2

standard.co.uk
3

gbnews.com
4

ladbible.com

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Our Woolies is now a pound shop and much used. It still feels a bit like Woolies, same floor and checkouts, somewhat shabby now.
I miss our own Co-op which took up half the High Street. It sold everything. The food and butchers shop was in a separate building but the main one sold everything, furniture, electrical items, clothes, shoe shop, school outfitter, travel agent. You could get everything you needed there even order your coal and oil plus getting your divi!

I miss Woolies too. It was much superior to the Poundstretcher which replaced it in our town not least in the quality and friendliness of the staff. That was a good programme aonk. Some of the shops they mentioned as gone I hadn’t realised. Has Burton’s gone ? Our Carpet Right is just about to close.

Do you have KMart in the UK? That is the nearest thing to the old Woolworths. We do have Woolworths ( Big W) but it is not like the old one, a big store but not super cheap. We also have a Woolworths food store that took over from Safeway. The best competitive food store for us is Aldi, much cheaper than Coles and Woolies.

nanna
No, no Kmart or Target or Walmart but i think Walmart bought out one of our chains "ASDA" which is similar. It used to only sell groceries and was owned by ASsociated DAiries.

I loved Woolies but now the Range does most of the Woolies market share. Ably supported by the heirs to the great Poundstretcher, B&M and Home Bargains.

I love B&M and Home Bargains. The Range too!

I miss Woolworths .
It was very popular for all sorts of things .
Whenever we came home my daughter's pockets were stuffed with Milady chocolates and she and her sister had chocolate smiles .
I asked her where she got them from .
The nice lady in Woolworths gives them to us .
No , she's discovered the joys of the Pick n '
Mix ie :
Pick and Don't Pay For It !

I miss Woolies. I did a lot of shopping in there.
I always bought the Ladybird clothes when mine were little.
I always picked my favourites out of the pick and mix.

My late husband used to always make his way to the record department and then to the pick n mix with our two children, they loved filling up their little bags with sweeties on their own.

My husband always chose liquorice torpedos for himself. When I pass a store selling old fashioned sweets and see torpedos in a jar, I feel like crying. He used to ring me up and say, don't forget the torpedos.

aww bless @HattieTopper reminds me always of mum too I know some shops are similar but to me nothing will ever top Woolworths!

Loads of stuff here from Woolies. Toys we have kept for visiting children, stationery supplies, crockery etc. My favourite vase is a Woolworths one, circa 1965. I have some Christmas decs which my parent bought in 1956 or 1957, still in good condition and far nicer than the imported "vintage style" tat which the shops will soon be full of again.

I miss Woolworths. I liked to pop in just in case there was something I needed. I always seemed to find something. I still have several items from there.

I miss Woolies - it was my go to place to get needles and thread and other bits and bobs for crafting or general household repairs.

I loved the Woolies food store in Sydney - masses of really fresh produce. I did my weekly shop there for two years.