Former Liscard Electric Palace cinema, later a Lennons supermarket and now a Shoemarket shoe shop - Seaview Road, Wallasey.
Former Kwik Save - Claughton Road, Birkenhead. Closed down July 2007 when the company went into administration.
One of the original Kwik Save stores (as far as I know, it was actually built for Kwik Save) survives today as Somerfield (but for how much longer?) - Wallasey Village.
Some more retail photos...
I like this one, I think the black and white suits the mood of the launderette - Martins Lane, Wallasey.
This ladies hairdressers is still trading in Mill Lane, Wallasey. Quite old-fashioned from the outside (and the inside too by the looks of it). I remember when we were kids my mum taking my brother and I there for a trim and us sitting on a board placed over the arms of the barber's chair.
* The hairdressers has now ceased trading - Early 2009.
This one's the CO-OP in Trafalgar Road, Egremont. It's been a CO-OP for years, and I'd say - just looking at the building - that it may have been built for the CO-OP.
Dodgshons isn't a particularly old shopfront, but it's a real-old fashioned bakery with huge pasties, beautiful cakes and old-fashioned service - Magazine Lane, New Brighton.
The Coffee Roast in Seaview Road (probably one of Wallasey's longest-established businesses) now occupies two units, but the original facade remains. I love this shopfront.
Last edited by Ross08; 03-11-2009 at 12:46 AM.
Fine Fare was bought out by the Dee Corporation, which later became Gateway, and eventually Somerfield.
On the way to becoming Somerfied they also bought many local companies, from Keymarkets in the South, Macfisheries (if anyone remembers them) to Lennons in St Helens and the North West. and I believe Walter Wilsons in the North East.
They eventually bought Kwik Save (based in North Wales) and several of the Carrefour Hypermarkets, but because of the diversity of the stores they owned, they ran into trouble and could not compete with the likes of Tesco who were totally focused.
They then sold off the larger stores and ended up being a "convenience" retailer, but still were not making profit.
Recently the Co op bid for Somerfield, and subject to several enquiries (Monopolies etc) should be successful.
What about Irwins? They used to be all over the place in South Liverpool, and if you look at the side of the bookmakers alongside the church at Penny Lane, you can still see one of their mosaic windows.
Last edited by raymman; 10-22-2008 at 07:39 AM.
Hello raymman. Irwin's practically has a thread of its own -here:
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/peo...-families.html
.
Thanks Ged, interesting thread, as usual.
A couple more for you
Victor Value
Ashe and Nephew, (laterly Threshers)
Hargreaves and I think the old B+Q in Garston used to be called Jupiter if I remember.
Another one I just thought of...Costigans.
[QUOTE=M6AJJ;153314]Fine Fare was bought out by the Dee Corporation, which later became Gateway, and eventually Somerfield. QUOTE]
Didn't Fine Fare acquire some of the small Scott's shops? I recall a small supermarker by the Smithdown Road / Ullet Road Junction - next door to what was the Midland Bank and I am certain it was a Scotts when I was young but switched to Finefare. By modern standard it was very small for a supermarket - only the size of a normal shop.
John
I think you are right about some of the smaller Scotts stores becoming Fine Fare.
Victor Value was an early chain of discount type stores bought out by Tesco, who later brought the name back and used it for a sort fighting brand against Kwik Save and the likes. As already well mentioned, the local company of Irwins became Tesco.
Hargreaves were one of the few local totally independant family retail grocers to survive into the eightees.
This is the history of Victor Value from Wikipedia - they had a store in West Derby Village. Not sure who runs it now even though I drove past the other week.Originally Posted by M6AJJ
Victor Value was a London-based supermarket group operating at the lower end of the grocery trade. It was founded by Victor Cohen in the early 20th Century and was subsequently run by Alex Cohen (who died in 2004 aged 99) and Morris Cohen (who were no relation to Jack Cohen, founder of Tesco). Its headquarters was in Waltham Cross (Dairyglen House) and the private label brand name was Dairyglen.
Old Victor Value stores which survive can often be identified by their distinctive blue and white tiled frontage. The Victor Value chain comprised a lot of fairly "grotty" looking stores, including some former Anthony Jackson Foodfare outlets, which it acquired in the early 1960s. It was well represented in what one might call the C2D areas, and was also well represented in market areas such as Chapel Market Islington, Church Street Paddington, and Leyton High Road.
In 1968, Victor Value had 217 stores, and was sold to Tesco for 1.75 million pounds. Tesco converted the larger branches to their own brand, but did not integrate the rest of the chain. In the early eighties, smaller town centre Tesco stores were rebranded as Victor Value, particularly in the North West of England. These town centre stores were used to trial new scanning and bar code technologies before launching them in Tesco-branded stores.[1]
In 1986, frozen food supermarket chain, Bejam, purchased the business from Tesco, who rebranded it as Bejam, before being taken over by rival Iceland in 1989.[1]
Victor Value was often known as VV. The name came from the handles on the doors of the store, which read "VV" when shut.
Irwins
They were taken over by tesco i used to work in the tesco in woolton village the old manager then(c1970 John Goodwin)used to work for irwins before the takeover
what about Sturlas on the corner of Park Rd and Nth Hill st me mam used to get stamps to buy school clothes a bit like provy vouchers
used to shop for me mam in Lennons in Garston
Is hargreaves on Allerton Rd still there?
This one has closed down and the site is now owned by Home and Bargain. Hargreaves shop on Rose Lane is now owned by Tesco.
steurlers
Does anyone remember steurlers i think thats what its called in old swan?
Jo
Irwins was taken over by a firm called Melia's before tesco stepped in!They were taken over by tesco i used to work in the tesco in woolton village the old manager then(c1970 John Goodwin)
what about Sturlas on the corner of Park Rd and Nth Hill st me mam used to get stamps to buy school clothes a bit like provy vouchers
used to shop for me mam in Lennons in Garston
Is hargreaves on Allerton Rd still there?
Sturlas had shops in Grear Homer Street and Walton Road as well.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks