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Genealogy/memories

Stores that are no longer in existence.

(176 Posts)
NanKate Tue 22-Nov-16 23:18:30

Just been listening to BBC Radio Southern Counties and they are talking about shops that are no longer in existence. They mentioned Freeman Hardy and Willis and I remember buying a pair of lovely stilettos made of a blue mesh type material. I miss not being able to wear heels. hmm

Any shops you miss ?

Eloethan Thu 06-Apr-17 23:14:38

The Golden Egg restaurants.
Derry & Toms
Etam
Harrison Gibson in Ilford
Alders
MFI
Richards - I've still got a very nice jumper from there
Anne Brooks (petite clothes)
Williams & Griffins, Colchester (now Fenwicks)

Claudiaclaws Thu 06-Apr-17 22:29:33

Does anyone remember, Amber Boutique in Leeds, in the sixties
and in Bournemouth, Honey Boutique on Poole hill.There used to be a Honey magazine as well.

grannypiper Thu 06-Apr-17 19:53:25

Bluebell mothercare is still going and Mckays shortened its name to M&CO.

callgirl1 Wed 05-Apr-17 22:39:02

Are Knickerbox still around?
Talking of W.H.Smith, not only are they not as good as they used to be, ours is also the post office, after the head post office moved into there and the lovely old post office building went up for sale. It just feels odd, queuing up at the post office counter in Smiths!

Millymoo Wed 05-Apr-17 21:03:19

Nellimoser - I worked for Lewis's head office, 1979-1982 then Liverpool Store 1982-1985 when I left to have my son. I loved every moment of it ?

BBbevan Wed 05-Apr-17 20:57:49

Yes I do liase My Mum always went to the one in Cardiff near Queen Street Station whenever we went to Cardiff. We always had a Kunzle cake before going shopping.

BlueBelle Wed 05-Apr-17 20:56:29

My mum worked in a few shoe shops Freeman Harvey and Willis, Stead and Simpson and Timpsons, We also had The Scottish Wool Shop, robinsons a sort of linen shop Hone and Colonial,
Our ...co op has recently been updated and is really lovely with a defibrillated on the wall outside ( a good idea) Mothercare's gone, Adams kids wear gone what about Mckays ladies wear
I miss Wollies so much

Liaise Wed 05-Apr-17 20:35:07

Reading through these posts made me think back. Does anyone remember the Kardomah cafe chain? Evan Roberts school outfitters in Cardiff - shockingly high prices for school uniforms but you had to go there.

grannypiper Wed 05-Apr-17 18:50:15

I loved C&A, during the first Gulf war they printed a voucher that enabled Service wives to buy a rain coat at half price.Threexnanny I agree with you regarding the electricity board shops, 2 years ago when i replaced my cooker, washing machine and fridge freezer i realised that there are very few places left that sell such large items. Buying on line may be cheaper but you cant touch and feel !

TriciaF Wed 05-Apr-17 17:51:11

C&A - I loved that shop too.
I remember one summer they had a lovely cotton dress. Three of us turned up at work in the same dress, one in the blue version, (a blonde,) one in the green version, (a chinese girl,) and me in the brown version, (auburn).
I liked Ravel too, but always had difficult feet so couldn't wear their shoes.

tinaf1 Wed 05-Apr-17 17:26:10

Ravel shoes spent my teenage years there ? C & A although they are alive and well in Budapest which I discovered on holiday last year much to my delight also was on a day trip in London couple of weeks ago and found my self outside what used to be Gammages I can remember going there every year with my mum & dad to see Father Christmas it was magical. It is now an office block.

threexnanny Wed 05-Apr-17 17:10:03

I think I miss Tie Rack most as I love scarves.

Also miss the gas and electricity board showrooms - they did seem to know about the products they were selling.

oma16 Wed 05-Apr-17 16:11:40

We have C&A and Woolworths here in Cologne and got very excited to find BHS still operating in Malta when we were on hoiday there.

nanninonar Wed 05-Apr-17 15:41:13

C & A in Portugal in albufaira in the prescient visit the store often still nice stuff
A

nanninonar Wed 05-Apr-17 15:37:20

Scott's the bakery,,,,,old fashioned cobblers

Spangles1963 Sat 03-Dec-16 00:37:47

Yes I remember Dickie Dirt's notnecessarilythewiser! Wasn't it in Ladbroke Grove? Or was it Westbourne Park?! I would buy my jeans there as they did odd 'inbetween' sizes,i.e.9,11,13 as well as 8,10,12,14 etc.

Jalima Fri 02-Dec-16 22:10:31

Brushed nylon sheets - awful if you had a catchy nail!
Probably very unhealthy and soon relegated to dust sheets.

granoftwins Fri 02-Dec-16 21:40:05

Brentford Nylons! Sold bedding.

JackyB Fri 02-Dec-16 20:09:53

C&A in every town in Germany, too. Even Woolworths went on for a couple of years after they'd given up the ghost.

When I was a schoolgirl, the food shops and supermarkets were all in the high street. In Newmarket we had the International Stores, Liptons (which later became Budgens) and all the proper butchers, fishmongers and bakers. Nowadays it's all phone shops and cafes.

Rinouchka Fri 02-Dec-16 17:40:28

C&A still thriving in Paris: big store on the Rue de Rivoli and another under the Tour Montparnasse. Pop in if you are in Paris!

seacliff Sat 26-Nov-16 08:45:33

Miss C & A still- always visit if near when abroad. Loved Chelsea Girl for a trendy new mini dress.

In South London there was a small chain Kennedys sausages, they were fantastic,visiting family always went back with some for their freezer.

Colchester - Keddies a department store. Jacklins lovely confectionary, sold cigars, coffee at back, ground to order. Nice cafe upstairs. Jacks hardware, sold so much all very good prices.

Not a shop, but United Dairies milk floats. Timothy Whites (?connected to Boots)

annodomini Fri 25-Nov-16 23:36:43

Lewis's Polytechnic in Glasgow, popularly known as The Poly - my parents bought a cute puppy there for my granny. That was a very bad idea as he was untrainable and given to biting.

storynanny Fri 25-Nov-16 23:09:30

I suppose New Look is the modern version of Chelsea Girl. What I loved about Chelsea Girl was that you could buy clothes in sizes 11, 13 etc. As I had a "Large" waist I used to buy size 13. However , back in the day a size 13 had a waist size of 25"!
I wear size 10-12 now and my waist is 28". I'm not complaining though. But a bit scary to realise that in the 1970's I would have needed a size 16.

Beammeupscottie Fri 25-Nov-16 22:11:46

I have memories of sitting on a tin animal to have my hair cut. I am trying to remember where Barrows were? We used to go in Greys as well but never Marshalls and Snelgrove; too pricey, I expect. We are in Birmingham a lot these days, but around the ICC and Brindley Place. I used to love Rackhams sales, but can't do City Centre shopping these days. I grew up in Moseley.

KatyK Fri 25-Nov-16 12:19:40

Beammeupscottie I won't tell! NanKate Now that you come to mention it, I can vaguely remember animals on the roof garden. No I don't remember sitting on tin animals! When I was a child, Lewis's was a bit of a magical place with the garden etc. When the queques for Father Christmas were too long for them to cope with, some of us were fobbed off with a character called Uncle Holly who helped out. I can see him now. I think he had striped trousers and a glittery top hat smile