Does anyone else miss Woolworths for everyday shopping and memories?

[rainbowunicorn22]

Is it just me, or does anyone else miss Woolworths?
When I was a child, my mum used to buy my toys from there.
As a teen, it became my place to get my records and the Outdoor Girl make-up!
With my first home, they became the place to go for equipment I needed, anything from a cutlery set to a washing-up bowl!
I have most of my Christmas decorations from Woolworths. The first Christmas my daughter was born, we bought a dove to go on the tree and we still have it. We tend to use it instead of a star or angel.
They were the place for knitting yarn to make my kids' clothes.
Added to which in our small town it was the best shop and you could easily kill time or get out the rain by browsing in there

No. But I miss Wilko

was no Wilko by me but i heard it was good

Woolies, no.
Wilkos, yes.

Desperately miss Wilko. It was on my doorstep and is now vacant. It was huge. I’d love it to become an Aldi.

To a degree I miss Woolies, mostly because of childhood nostalgia. The Pick N Mix etc. B&M is new Woolies I think

Yes definitely miss Woolies! And it sold far more than Wilkos. I remember being able to do practically all my Christmas shopping in Woolworths, toys, records, electrical, beauty, food gifts etc… And it was my go to place for the kids clothes when they were little.

Yes I do and I really miss Wilko. There is nothing that is a substitute for either.

The Range and B&M are grim

Im still using the paperclips and other stationery i bought in the closing sale.

I miss a proper Argos, witb rhe books, slips of paper and little pens

Yes, it’s such a shame that we lost Woolworths. Wilko too, although not nearly as much as Woolies.

I like Home Bargains although it doesn’t compare, can’t stand B&M though and have only been in The Range a couple of times.

We have a Boyes store opening nearby soon, never shopped there before but I hear they’re good.

I have fond memories of Woolies, although one of rhe biggest insults around when I was at school was " You'll end up working at Woolies".

I don't miss it in the same way as a I miss BHS and Watt Brothers . Watt Brothers was a Glasgow and West of Scotland institution. Both these shops were just so useful and gave been irreplaceable

Yes. The first foray into make up aged about 13. Pearly blue stick eye shadow and sugar pink lipstick. 💄
Also, the big chunky wrapped chocolates in the pick n mix. 😋

Very fond memories of Woolies, esp as it was my first ever job way back in the 70's

As a child no saturday shopping trip with mum was complete without a trip to Woolies - and if mum was flush, she would get a coffee and we kids would get a bottle of Zing with a paper straw

I bought my first hifi system on HP at woolies, with a friend of the family being the guarantor

Then my first job in Woolies ( Kensington High Street ) started on the cosmetics counter when Barbara Daly was their make up Artist and she would come in and do make overs

It had a jewellery counter - real gold, watches, records, food hall, the sweets and the pick and mix, hot food counter, Ladybird clothes, household, paints and electrics and everything in between

I loved Christmases there. Woolies was Christmas, everybody bought what was needed from Woolies and the queues would be mega all day every day in the two weeks before.

I remember back in '78 I won £50 on the premium bonds just in time for christmas. Mum was bought some crystal glasses ( still in use ) sister got a sandwich toaster and a friend a hairdryer. I also got for my bottom drawer a complete dinner. service for 4 , mugs and cutlery - I think the mugs finally went to the charity shop when I moved here 20 years ago :)

Wilkos kind of took over - they bought all of woolies old stock, but it wasnt the same

I bought my first ever pair of tights in Woolies in about 1969. Thick American Tan legs and a red nylon knickers part. Oh the blissful comfort after stockings and suspenders! Loved Woolies and miss it.

I've just remembered the freshly roasted salted peanuts on the sweetie counter!

Yes and BHS too.
It felt like you could buy anything from Woolies. I remember buying tools, nails, paint etc there.

Didn't drive so Woolworths in the High Street was the go to place . Most of my kids baby clothes were Ladybird or Boots - remember they did clothes too . Got cards , CDs , garden stuff , buckets and spades in summer , whipped ice cream machines were a treat . And of course Pick n Mix for reasonable prices .
Online shopping has killed the High Street and I am not sure it's a good thing . I hate that most stuff is imported Chinese crap made by slave labour and anything locally or British made has to naturally be very pricey .

I was only saying the other day how much I miss Woollies! But I do miss Wilko as well.

I wanted to buy a variety of things to put in a gift bag for my niece for their Mum & Dads wedding day, so she'd have things to keep her occupied if she got bored (3yrs old). If Woollies had still been around it would have ticked every box for the things I wanted to get. Alas, we've only got a Home Bargains in our town (it is a big store), and the choices were frankly crap.

Anyone remember the deli counter at Woollies and the Cigarette counter (which was actually more like a phone box sized booth)?

Plus years ago it was one of the only places that you could get Quality Street & Roses tins at Christmas. 😋

Yes, I really miss Woolworths!

We went every week when we were little, can vividly remember being allowed to pick a packet of crisps and mini can of pop. Fantastic toys, still clearly remember some of my favourites. Then onto cassette tapes and mini toiletries.

So nostalgic OP! ☺️

No. I remember it as a grotty shop.

Yes Woolies and Wilko.

Winfield was Woolies 'own brand'. Used to have Winfield notebooks.

And Wilkos - Used to buy all my toiletries and household cleaning stuff and home wares there. I changed a lightbulb yesterday and the box said Wilko.

We have B&M and The Range here, but I can never find what I want. B&M make you walk up and down every aisle to get to what you want and The Range has no overhead signs or storeguide by the entrance or escalator. Wilkos I knew where everything was and could go straight to it.

BHS for lighting and bed linen and restaurants.

Does anyone remember BHS in Margate with the first floor restaurant looking out over the beach?

There are still Woolworths stores in Australia and South Africa! They are premium grocery and clothing retail stores - aspiring to a Marks & Spencer type store and very far from the original humble Woolworths high street stores

I miss it because of the memories and the nostalgia. Very fond memories of visiting with mum on Saturdays. The pick and mix, the music section and the amazing atmosphere at Christmas. I remember buying Tracy Ullman - 'They Don't Know' with my birthday money and playing it over and over!
Ours had a restaurant and it felt like such a treat if we went for cake and a drink.

It turned into a Poundland and now that's gone too and it's empty. Sad.

I used to work there.
Do I miss it?
No.
There is not anything that they sold that I can't get in the current retailers available.

The Woolworths of the 1960s/70s yes, it was great, the later version that was sweets and video games, no, they destroyed their own business.

Miss Wilkinson's more.

To be honest when they went bust the computer game section (plus tech like phones/iPods etc) was actually doing ok.

I miss both Woolies and Wilkos.