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Anyone miss shopping in Woolworths?

(90 Posts)
Cardashian123 Fri 23-May-25 08:43:12

You could get anything in there it was such a versatile shop and in my local high street. I even worked there in Haberdashery as a Saturday girl in the 60s. Memories…..

TheWeirdoAgain1 Fri 23-May-25 11:46:24

I loved Woolies, was always in there for something or other.

I bought a Olivetti manual typewriter from there with a hard cover and the ribbons and paper and bottles of Tipp-Ex!

dogsmother Fri 23-May-25 12:29:58

I did a short stint in Woolies as a Saturday girl. Stock taking was a killer for me think that’s why I wasn’t there very long! I recall counting endless packets of seeds.

Bukkie Fri 23-May-25 13:26:56

We too have Boyes near us in Yorkshire (where the shop originates from) Great shop for things you can't get anywhere else.

JennyCee Fri 23-May-25 13:37:25

Hello Keeping Quiet, are you from Hull? Thats the only place I know where there is a Boyes. Just saw a photo on article about Hull and there was Boyes

Cateq Fri 23-May-25 13:44:42

My DH and I took my nephew who was about 2and half into Woolies in St Andrews and asked him what he wanted and he replied in his loudest voice a can of beer. We couldn’t move for laughter. We got two bags of pick and mix, one for him and the other for his older brother. Dh put him in the back seat of the car and gave him both bags of sweets. When we arrived back at my DB house, my DH asked him if he both bags, he handed over 1 empty bag and said that was his brothers bag😂😂😂

Jojo1950 Fri 23-May-25 13:50:42

Yes agree. Great store. Always interesting to see what was on offer. I remember the pick and mix. So colourful.

olderme Fri 23-May-25 14:01:08

Going into town was a treat when I was young. It lasted a full day which ended in the Cafeteria in Woolworths. I still remember the chips. A birthday treat was a 'Knickerbocker Glory'; otherwise it was a dish of jelly fruit and cream . I loved it there . Happy times and yet we would have been described as poor .

keepingquiet Fri 23-May-25 14:01:46

Bukkie

We too have Boyes near us in Yorkshire (where the shop originates from) Great shop for things you can't get anywhere else.

Yes it is a Yorkshire based company, I believe they began in Scarborough.

I went in the other day and bought a half slip, some socks and toiletry items and a battery for much less than I would pay elsewhere. You can't buy half slips anywhere anymore!

ddraig123 Fri 23-May-25 14:03:08

I used to dream about their Pick and Mix Counters full of sweets when I was a kid!

keepingquiet Fri 23-May-25 14:03:25

JennyCee

Hello Keeping Quiet, are you from Hull? Thats the only place I know where there is a Boyes. Just saw a photo on article about Hull and there was Boyes

No, not Hull but there are branches across the Midlands now. That's where I found my first one and when I moved I found they had a branch right here where I live. I love going in there!

Silvertwigs Fri 23-May-25 14:15:46

I miss Woolies Cardashian123! I’ve recently moved back to near my childhood town, I look at that store with such fab memories, it’s a QD Stores now, layout still the same but no poc & mix or broken biscuits 🥲🌹

JANH Fri 23-May-25 14:21:16

Another Saturday girl here too and also on Haberdashery. I was there late 60’s and earned, net £0.17s and 6pence for the day. I remember always shouting out the value of a note handed to me for my colleague to hear which came in handy one day when the customer challenged me that I had given the wrong change. The till had to be checked at the end of the day, but no refund given to the customer as the till was correct. I loved working there and also shopped there, too.

Celieanne86 Fri 23-May-25 14:26:21

I used to make wedding favours in the 70s and 80s when they started to become popular always using sugared almonds which I used to buy by the pound from Woolworths pick and mix.
One day I took my usual supply to the cash desk and the regular girl weighed them sighed looked at me and said..It’s a wonder you’ve got any teeth left the amount of these you buy…. I still laugh about it now,, and yes I did enlighten her. I was never able to find another good supplier after Woolworths closed, it was a sad day in our town.

Humbley Fri 23-May-25 14:30:36

I worked on the record department it was great. Really miss shopping there had something for everyone

Nannan2 Fri 23-May-25 14:41:53

I miss woolworths such a lot.I had been going there since i was very small(prob was taken as a baby in the pram too) it was our 'go to' store for our family.

Les1950 Fri 23-May-25 14:42:41

I worked on the xmas counter in woolies in my school holiday. I had to add everything up in my head. I was paid £1 for the day. I loved looking round the store b4 it was open, and the lunches were good and cheap.

Mollyanna Fri 23-May-25 14:43:48

I think Gransnet needs to sort out their security. Dismayed to see so many drug posts.

Lizzies Fri 23-May-25 14:46:14

I was just talking to a friend about Woolies the other day and saying how much we missed it.

Mirren Fri 23-May-25 14:57:53

I loved Woolies.
There was quite a big one in the town where I went to school.
I bought my first records there and my friends and I loved a good mooch after school before getting the bus home.
One day we went for a look round and I took a wire shopping basket as I hoped to buy some make up .
Not finding what I wanted my friend and I headed across the road to our bus stop.
It was only when I reached the other side of the road that I realised I still had the shopping basket over my arm !!!
Thankfully it was empty but I ran to put it back,apologising profusely to the laughing shop assistants who had watched everything with amusement.
It took me ages to stop worrying I was about to be arrested for " stealing " an empty basket !

AuntieE Fri 23-May-25 15:01:50

I love Woollworth's too.

Sixpence pocket money went a long way there in the 1950s.

I bought dolls' house furniture at the toy counter, and some of the first plastic shoes made for 6" dolls.

There is a branch of Woollie's in Flensburg 7 km away from my home, and they still have good cheap things.

Bukkie Fri 23-May-25 15:10:46

I am from Hull, there are still several in Hull and surrounding areas like Beverley, Barton. It's the first place I would go to for underslips, girdles for Grandma, material and sewing equipment for my Scottish friend who loves crafting, enamel dishes to name a few things.

Azalea99 Fri 23-May-25 15:22:02

Oh yes, I miss it too. I still have plants I bought there to remind me, but oddly one of my fondest memories is of the wooden floors they had

zipperdedoda Fri 23-May-25 15:26:54

Yes Maggiemaybe, my mum worked as a cook in Woolworths in the staff canteen. She loved it. Proper cooked meals for everyone and she always did something special for the one vegetarian! That was probably in the sixties. They didn't have a restaurant for customers but did have a milk shake and ice cream bar. I presume they also did tea but I wasn't interested in that at the time! Can also remember the square tins of broken biscuits very cheap!

Sueki44 Fri 23-May-25 16:11:01

Do you remember when Woolworths sold loose biscuits? You could ask for a specific type or just mixed. You could also get a pound of broken biscuits!

Acegik Fri 23-May-25 16:16:10

I remember going when I was 3 yrs old with my mum and older brother. I badly wanted a pretty tray showing the marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Philip, but we were very poor, so could only look.