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Original poster

Shops you are surprised are still going

782 replies

fajitaaaa · 03/01/2023 21:59

WHSMITHS - who is buying from them? Anything other than a emergency magazine for the train and maybe a bottle of water? But some of their stores are HUGE!

FAT FACE - always a massive sale on!

OP posts:
ACynicalDad · 03/01/2023 22:26

The Twitter account is great. twitter.com/WHS_Carpet I'm surprised they don't close lots of the high street ones, but if they own them and don't maintain them, then perhaps they are only paying for staff and utilities and maybe that's not so bad.

Vallmo47 · 03/01/2023 22:27

Waterstones.

supernova1234 · 03/01/2023 22:27

Pandora. It seems quite dated, but maybe that's just me.

Needmorelego · 03/01/2023 22:27

Homebase was sold to an Australian company (Bunnings) and rebranded but the Australian style stores were a failure in the UK so they were sold back and rebranded back to Homebase.

Mañanarama · 03/01/2023 22:28

daisymade · 03/01/2023 22:17

Next! Sold out to consessions online and literally nothing in any quantity in their shops. “Here is a cute girls outfit in size newborn, 3-4 years or aged 11.” 😟

My daughter refused to shop there after age 11 because “why would I wear the same styles as a 3 year old”. Good point, they’d do much better having a decent teen range.

The high street is going to continue dying because its easier to buy online with free delivery and returns. Sad but true.

XenoBitch · 03/01/2023 22:28

Vallmo47 · 03/01/2023 22:27

Waterstones.

This.

I have no idea how they compete with the likes of Amazon. Who buys a full price book from a shop nowadays?

Nakedornotnaked · 03/01/2023 22:28

IsThePopeCatholic · 03/01/2023 22:13

White stuff - ridiculous prices.
seasalt - boring and pricey

I'm with you on this - particularly Seasalt. MNers seem to love both, but they're so frumpy, shapeless, ugly and ludicrously overpriced to look as unstylish as possible

I'm no fashion victim by any stretch, but I cannot fathom out who's happy to pay £65 for clothing like this unflattering knitted vest monstrosity....

Shops you are surprised are still going
penguims · 03/01/2023 22:28

Matalan - I don't know but it's been a few years since I've been don't seem that popular anymore

User1785498 · 03/01/2023 22:28

I think that Next Directory does really well, I buy branded stuff from there and I have always had excellent customer service from them, I don't buy clothes from the shop though. I always pay off my directory bill in full though, they do make a lot of money from the credit set up as many don't

Soproudoflionesses · 03/01/2023 22:29

pastypirate · 03/01/2023 22:01

Peacocks

Ooh l love Peacocks!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/01/2023 22:29

ACynicalDad · 03/01/2023 22:26

The Twitter account is great. twitter.com/WHS_Carpet I'm surprised they don't close lots of the high street ones, but if they own them and don't maintain them, then perhaps they are only paying for staff and utilities and maybe that's not so bad.

Just shaking with laughter at that Twitter account!

AnyFucker · 03/01/2023 22:29

Hollister
Superdry

I like River Island though. Some of their t shirts, jeans, trousers and jumpers are good quality. I can always find something I like if you look past the neon and monogrammed crap

GlassBunion · 03/01/2023 22:29

Obviously WHSmiths but also Paperchase.

Railwayroad · 03/01/2023 22:30

Superdry is so expensive.

Love Matalan.

Toddlerteaplease · 03/01/2023 22:30

There is a really old fashioned clothing shop in the town my sister lives in. She wanted to pay by card and was escorted through the store to their only card machine!

bizzywiththefizzy · 03/01/2023 22:30

Regarding WH Smiths my local Hospital has a WH Smiths , so they like have a very captive customer . Plenty customers wandering about in dresssing gowns of doom . I have also done this when been in hospital .
Almost had a row with the assistant because I wanted to buy one pencil and one pen , not whole pkt of 9 ( yes I know it wasn't his fault, I was grumpy).
So I imagine it's not just my local hospital has a WH Smiths .

Chupney · 03/01/2023 22:30

I bought a specific Christmas list item from WH Smiths the other week because I needed to see it to make sure it was right and Rymans and the Works didn't have it. I thought I'd buy some other stuff whilst I was in there. Looked online whilst in the shop and everything was loads cheaper elsewhere on the high street. So I just bought one thing. Won't bother again.

Runningfire · 03/01/2023 22:30

Yes, it’s been often discussed on Reddit forums that WH Smith’s are fronts for Mafia run county lines gangs. Kids nip in, pretend to get a twix and pop back out onto a train to Coventry with £10k of ketamine

Mangofandangoo · 03/01/2023 22:31

Superdry - always has massive stores, all appearing empty!

Tamarindtree · 03/01/2023 22:31

Mountain Warehouse. Load of badly made crap.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 03/01/2023 22:32

The Perfume Shop always confuses me but then I don't wear perfume so maybe that's why! We've had loads of half decent shops shut down in our town, Clarke's, Topshop, Next, phase 8, Debenhams, monsoon etc but the perfume shop is still going strong Confused

I really like FatFace Blush

Agree we WH Smith's though, our store is massive and looks so dilapidated.

User1785498 · 03/01/2023 22:32

The River Island where I live has been rebranded as River Studios but elsewhere it is still River Island

LuluBlakey1 · 03/01/2023 22:32

Seasalt- expensive and very dated.

KM247 · 03/01/2023 22:32

Always find it odd that Woolworths went but Wilko is so popular.

Can’t believe Deichmann shoes is still alive in my closest high street. And Peacocks seems to keep going.

Doingthingsdifferently · 03/01/2023 22:33

Whittards - always baffled me who buys all the tea

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