Southampton Nostalgia - Department Stores

How many are missing from this list?

Tyrell & Greens

Plummers

C & A

Owen & Owen (previously Mayes)

Bourne & Hollingsworth

Co -Op (the old biggish one opposite St Mary's Fire Station)

Co-Op (the newer one now occupied by Littlewoods)

Couple smaller ones in St Mary's Street (can't remember the names)

As a kid I always though Debenhams was huge but at 3 stories this is a tiddler compared to Hudsons Dept store in Detroit. Until demolished this was 17 stories, had 51 elevators and carried over half a million items. It was also the largest building ever to be blown up when demolished in 1998

Supposedly it produced the\worlds largest flag at 235 x 104 ft (wonder how this compared to the flag produced for the opening of St Marys?)

Debenhams used to be Edwin Jones.

Didn't there used to be one in Woolston?

Can you consider C & A to be a department store? I thought it only sold clothes.

Owen and Owen just below bargate (previously known as Mayes?).

There used to be one down near Kingsland Square (Frasiers??) which had one of those overhead tube systems where the assistant would put money in a little canister , pop it in the tube where it would sucked up and delivered to another part of the store. Always fascinated me as a kid. It was a real-life Grace Brothers!!

There were several 'Lancaster and Crooks' stores in the Woolston area. One in Station Rd near Sholing Station (which included a post office and bakery IIRC), one In Victoria Rd, with a furniture/carpet store attached (became Co-op) and one in Obelisk Road, part of which became Ponts' furniture store.

There were several 'Lancaster and Crooks' stores in the Woolston area. One in Station Rd near Sholing Station (which included a post office and bakery IIRC), one In Victoria Rd, with a furniture/carpet store attached (became Co-op) and one in Obelisk Road, part of which became Ponts' furniture store.

My grandfather worked there!

There used to be one down near Kingsland Square (Frasiers??) which had one of those overhead tube systems where the assistant would put money in a little canister , pop it in the tube where it would sucked up and delivered to another part of the store. Always fascinated me as a kid. It was a real-life Grace Brothers!!

Spot on. Frasers used to use a pneumatic system (Lampson Tubes?) which wisked your cash and invoice from the payment till up to the accounts dept. The receipt was prepared and any change would be returned in a little canister.

As also mentioned C&A was indeed a clothes store not a Dept store

I suppose in some respects Woolworths could be classed as a small Dept store in the same mould as BHS and M&S

There used to be a pneumatic tube system in the old Edwin Jones store too.

But I'm probably the only one on here old enough to remember

There were several 'Lancaster and Crooks' stores in the Woolston area. One in Station Rd near Sholing Station (which included a post office and bakery IIRC), one In Victoria Rd, with a furniture/carpet store attached (became Co-op) and one in Obelisk Road, part of which became Ponts' furniture store.

There was a Lancaster & Crooks on Bitterne Park Triangle, I think it is a bathroom shop now.

There used to be a pneumatic tube system in the old Edwin Jones store too.

 

But I'm probably the only one on here old enough to remember

There was one in Tyrell & Greens back in the '70's. As a young lad it fascinated the hell out of me. .

What about 'Wavy Line' these were probably the forerunners of the convenience store. There was one on the corner of Dimond & Manor Farm Roads, it was run by Mr & Mrs Emm. They used to have a penny sweet tray kept beneath the counter and you could take an old tanner (there's one for the old folks) in and get 2.5p worth of sweets, Usually 5 Black Jacks. \\:D/

There was a Lancaster & Crooks on Bitterne Park Triangle, I think it is a bathroom shop now.

 

 

 

There was one in Tyrell & Greens back in the '70's. As a young lad it fascinated the hell out of me. .

 

What about 'Wavy Line' these were probably the forerunners of the convenience store. There was one on the corner of Dimond & Manor Farm Roads, it was run by Mr & Mrs Emm. They used to have a penny sweet tray kept beneath the counter and you could take an old tanner (there's one for the old folks) in and get 2.5p worth of sweets, Usually 5 Black Jacks. \\:D/

Slightly off-topic as regards Southampton but there was a Wavy Line just round the corner when I was a kid in Petersfield; happy days!

Debenhams/Edwin Jones may not have been as large as Hudson's in Detroit, but always billed itself as 'The South's largest department store.'

Never quite sure where its definition of the boundaries of 'The South' extended to, but although never as big as any of the London stores would comfortably be bigger than anything south of The Smoke.

Anybody remember the temporary visiting zoos they used to have occasionally on the top floor?

It was probably when Chipperfields were too mean to pay for winter quarters for their circus animals and there was no room in the zoo on the common, so they offered a selection from their menagerie to Edwin Jones.

To their credit, they also used to splash out on a half decent Christmas grotto, with animatronic figures and stuff. I used the term loosely, in case anybody should form any idea that they were remotely like anything at Disney World.

Again, not a department stores as such, but does anyone remember Vernon & Tear?

Food stores, but also butcher and game dealer. Started off in Hanover Buildings, but then moved to Above Bar.

Debenhams/Edwin Jones may not have been as large as Hudson's in Detroit, but always billed itself as 'The South's largest department store.'

 

Never quite sure where its definition of the boundaries of 'The South' extended to, but although never as big as any of the London stores would comfortably be bigger than anything south of The Smoke.

 

Anybody remember the temporary visiting zoos they used to have occasionally on the top floor?

 

It was probably when Chipperfields were too mean to pay for winter quarters for their circus animals and there was no room in the zoo on the common, so they offered a selection from their menagerie to Edwin Jones.

 

To their credit, they also used to splash out on a half decent Christmas grotto, with animatronic figures and stuff. I used the term loosely, in case anybody should form any idea that they were remotely like anything at Disney World.

 

Again, not a department stores as such, but does anyone remember Vernon & Tear?

 

Food stores, but also butcher and game dealer. Started off in Hanover Buildings, but then moved to Above Bar.

I worked in one of the grottos when I was a Saturday girl there. I was an elf handing presents to Santa for all the children. It was fun to give him a boy's present for a girl and vice versa

I also remember working on the huge fireworks department and on the cigarette counter :shock: On one occasion there I was being chatted up by some Russian sailors and, as I was studying Russian in the 6th form, I called one of them 'grandfather' in Russian (дед) or roughly, dedushka. He was quite shocked

Debenhams/Edwin Jones may not have been as large as Hudson's in Detroit, but always billed itself as 'The South's largest department store.'

 

Never quite sure where its definition of the boundaries of 'The South' extended to, but although never as big as any of the London stores would comfortably be bigger than anything south of The Smoke.

 

Anybody remember the temporary visiting zoos they used to have occasionally on the top floor?

 

It was probably when Chipperfields were too mean to pay for winter quarters for their circus animals and there was no room in the zoo on the common, so they offered a selection from their menagerie to Edwin Jones.

 

To their credit, they also used to splash out on a half decent Christmas grotto, with animatronic figures and stuff. I used the term loosely, in case anybody should form any idea that they were remotely like anything at Disney World.

 

Again, not a department stores as such, but does anyone remember Vernon & Tear?

 

Food stores, but also butcher and game dealer. Started off in Hanover Buildings, but then moved to Above Bar.

I used to get so excited when the first advert for Santas Grotto at Edwin Jones appeared in the Echo when I was a kid!

I do remember Veron and Tear along with Cadena Cafe, Home and Colonial, and MacFisheries.

I worked in one of the grottos when I was a Saturday girl there. I was an elf handing presents to Santa for all the children. It was fun to give him a boy's present for a girl and vice versa

 

I also remember working on the huge fireworks department and on the cigarette counter :shock: On one occasion there I was being chatted up by some Russian sailors and, as I was studying Russian in the 6th form, I called one of them 'grandfather' in Russian (дед) or roughly, dedushka. He was quite shocked

So it was YOU!!! Traumatised for life I`ve been!!

In the early '60s we used to do our Christmas shopping at Edwin Jones, in order to visit Santa's Grotto.

C & A

My uncle from London used to refer to C & A as Coats and 'Ats.

For those of us away, can you remind us of what there is now where the shops mentioned were?

Edwin Jones is still Debenhams but what is now Owen and Owen? (etc)

Ultima, first games store in southampton

For those of us away, can you remind us of what there is now where the shops mentioned were?

 

Edwin Jones is still Debenhams but what is now Owen and Owen? (etc)

Plummers is now part of Solent University

Mayes/Owen Owens was split into two and housed TK Maxx before their move and Argos

The old Co-Op was demolished (that had a great Xmas Grotto too)

Some suggestion of Debenhams moving into the Bargate Centre which makes some sense as the current East Street location is too far away from the mainstream shopping.

Noticeable that Lewis's in Liverpool (another iconic Dept Store) has closed due to the building of the Liverpool One (West Quay equivalent) Mall

Plummers is now part of Solent University

 

Mayes/Owen Owens was split into two and housed TK Maxx before their move and Argos

 

The old Co-Op was demolished (that had a great Xmas Grotto too)

 

Some suggestion of Debenhams moving into the Bargate Centre which makes some sense as the current East Street location is too far away from the mainstream shopping.

 

Noticeable that Lewis's in Liverpool (another iconic Dept Store) has closed due to the building of the Liverpool One (West Quay equivalent) Mall

Oh and Tyrell & Greens is being demolished following John Lewis (ie the store owner) taking u[p residence in West Quay

Where was the old Co-op?

Owen and Owen just below bargate (previously known as Mayes?).

little cafe downstairs, then outside to hop on number 14 bus

Some suggestion of Debenhams moving into the Bargate Centre which makes some sense as the current East Street location is too far away from the mainstream shopping.

It's not that much closer though really, is it? :confused:

Where was the old Co-op?

More or less on the Jurys Inn site. It was a fair size store as I recollect not much smaller than Edwin Jones/Debenhams.

There was a Co-Op Funeral Directors nearby + a Co-Op removal store. Each Co-Op purchase gave you a dividend which could be redeemed at year end (a precurssor to Green Shield Stamps etc

Anybody mentioned Downeys, in Shirley, yet..? I think they just about qualify. They used a pneumatic system too, I think.

C & A

 

 

 

 

My uncle from London used to refer to C & A as Coats and 'Ats.

My sister always told me that the C&A label in her underwear was there to ensure that she put them on the right way around.

Not a department store, however the one I remember was Keith Paul in Woolston. For a young kid it was the best shop in the world (went I was eight, my world was pretty small)

I used to get so excited when the first advert for Santas Grotto at Edwin Jones appeared in the Echo when I was a kid!

 

I do remember Veron and Tear along with Cadena Cafe, Home and Colonial, and MacFisheries.

Ah, the Cadena... We always used to go in there when we went into Southampton during the summer holidays. Going into Southampton always seemed like a big thing for a Bishopstoke boy, and going to the Cadena was very much a part of it, along with Tyrell and Green, Marks and Spencer (we used to get one of their large chicken and mushroom pies to take home for our tea), Gilberts the book shop, various record shops and the like. They used to sell records in Boots in those days as I recall, which seems rather odd looking back at it. The Cadena got renamed the Jolyon (or something like that) at some point.

There was another little café by the Bargate, which had one of those TV tennis games which we used to play. Very cool they were, back in the 70s!

I worked in one of the grottos when I was a Saturday girl there. I was an elf handing presents to Santa for all the children. It was fun to give him a boy's present for a girl and vice versa

 

I also remember working on the huge fireworks department and on the cigarette counter :shock: On one occasion there I was being chatted up by some Russian sailors and, as I was studying Russian in the 6th form, I called one of them 'grandfather' in Russian (дед) or roughly, dedushka. He was quite shocked

Where did you study Russian? I did 'O' and 'A' level at Barton Peveril.

Where did you study Russian? I did 'O' and 'A' level at Barton Peveril.

I only studied it for a short while, after I'd finished my 'A' levels. In my day () we weren't allowed to clear off once exams were finished. I had a choice of binary maths or Russian.

This was at what was the Grammar School for Girls in Hill Lane. It WAS an awful long time ago.

You'll be way better at it than me. I really struggled with the cyrillic alphabet - tried to learn Greek once too with little success.

One recent one that didn't last too long was Dunnes where Matalan is now opposite Civic Centre.

I went into the one in Limerick a few years before the one opened in town and they had some great bargains.

Plummers is now part of Solent University

 

Mayes/Owen Owens was split into two and housed TK Maxx before their move and Argos

 

The old Co-Op was demolished (that had a great Xmas Grotto too)

 

Some suggestion of Debenhams moving into the Bargate Centre which makes some sense as the current East Street location is too far away from the mainstream shopping.

 

Noticeable that Lewis's in Liverpool (another iconic Dept Store) has closed due to the building of the Liverpool One (West Quay equivalent) Mall

Lewis's is still in Liverpool. The John Lewis store was George Henry Lee and that's moved into the Liverpool One development and lost its name - it's plain John Lewis now.

Yes - the Cadena. My mum used to take me there for Lardy Cake. It had pictures of ocean liners on the walls. Is it Top Shop now?

Lewis's is still in Liverpool. The John Lewis store was George Henry Lee and that's moved into the Liverpool One development and lost its name - it's plain John Lewis now.

Lewis's in Liverpool is closing down.

Indeed it is.

It is called Dickie Lewis's by many locals as I think as the statue over the main entrance is of a nude man with his todger on display. This caused quite a furore when put up. Not sure if this was before WW2 or after the store was rebuilt after being heavily bombed.

The George Henry Lee store is part of the John Lewis chain and completely separate to Lewis's.

GH Lee closed when the new John Lewis store opened in the new Liverpool One shopping mall development

It's hard to believe this now, but the best toy shop in Southampton was Currys - opposite the Bargate where Maplin is now. It was the same Currys as the electrical retailers, but back in the mid 60s they used to sell toys as well.

It's hard to believe this now, but the best toy shop in Southampton was Currys - opposite the Bargate where Maplin is now. It was the same Currys as the electrical retailers, but back in the mid 60s they used to sell toys as well.

I heard the best Toy Shop was in East Street ... Ann Summers

Places like Lewis's or Plumbers or Tyrrell and Greens were the places we'd go towards the end of a Saturday afternoons cruise around the shops to find out the footie scores when Saints were playing away from home. (still at school so only window shopping and no money for awayday jaunts back then:()

I heard the best Toy Shop was in East Street ... Ann Summers

 

Places like Lewis's or Plumbers or Tyrrell and Greens were the places we'd go towards the end of a Saturday afternoons cruise around the shops to find out the footie scores when Saints were playing away from home. (still at school so only window shopping and no money for awayday jaunts back then:()

Plastic - I used to take meself off to all the away games in me pram from the moment I was born. I presume it was this lack of commitment that led to you becoming an ex-Pat. It all makes sense now.

Plastic - I used to take meself off to all the away games in me pram from the moment I was born. I presume it was this lack of commitment that led to you becoming an ex-Pat. It all makes sense now.

Good point ... and well presented

I heard the best Toy Shop was in East Street ... Ann Summers

 

Places like Lewis's or Plumbers or Tyrrell and Greens were the places we'd go towards the end of a Saturday afternoons cruise around the shops to find out the footie scores when Saints were playing away from home. (still at school so only window shopping and no money for awayday jaunts back then:()

You've been away too long. Ann Summers is in Above Bar near to the American Express shop.

Not quite in Southampton, but can anyone remember a supermarket in Eastleigh where Litten Tree (and other units either side) is now?

It was called Torbocks or something.

I remember going there as a kid and buying my Star Wars figures from the toy section upstairs.

Gill Brothers East Street for;

Staypress,

Y Cardigans,

Farah's

Grandad shirts

Puffa coats

Fook me we knew how to dress

Gill Brothers East Street for;

 

Staypress,

Y Cardigans,

Farah's

Grandad shirts

Puffa coats

 

Fook me we knew how to dress

Gill Bros also had a store in Macnaughten Rd, opposite Bitterne Station.

As you alluded too, we had style.

:smt109

Shirt King-St Marys street.

Tesco now where Top Man is.

Connor & Mitchells in woolston.

Pitfields ironmonger in Merry oak.

Lewis's is still in Liverpool. The John Lewis store was George Henry Lee and that's moved into the Liverpool One development and lost its name - it's plain John Lewis now.

Everton have a club shop in Liverpool One . They called it " Everton 2". Which means it's adress is .........

Clever

Back on topic - does the Green Shield Stamp shop count ?

Foster's Menswear was cool. :cool:

Foster's Menswear was cool. :cool:

What the one in Woolston!

Christ, I bought a few suits from there!!

Everton have a club shop in Liverpool One . They called it " Everton 2". Which means it's adress is .........

Clever

 

 

Back on topic - does the Green Shield Stamp shop count ?

I seem to recall the Green Shield Stamp showroom being along Queensway, opposite Debenhams.

Connor & Mitchell's also used to have a shop in East Street, back in the days when you had independent sports stores.

Wasn't the store in Woolston John Conning, before it was taken over by Trevor Mitchell who changed its name to Connor & Mitchell?

Blimey, I even remember walking into Debenhams through the East St entrance and never failing to be amazed by their range of fishing rods and other outdoor pursuit equipment.

Not quite as big a range as here, though: http://www.basspro.com/homepage.html

If ever you are in the States, you have to visit one. I particularly recommend the one at Opry Mills in Nashville, Tn.

Get in the car park around mid-morning on a Sunday, and watch the rednecks roll up in their pick-ups. Having been to church and preached at by a fire and brimstone Southern Baptist preacher they are all fired up to go and kill or catch something.

If you look around the firearms section you will spot tomorrow's Columbine killers. They are the 12-year-old boys, with spots, no mates and strange buzzsaw haircuts who are stroking the guns like the girlfriend they wish they had but will never get.

All sorts of random recollections coming back now.

Patstone & Cox in the High St, next to the Dolphin Hotel.

What a fantastic shop, a boys dream.

Not only did they sell football boots, cricket gear and other sports equipment, they also sold plastic construction kits. Not just your standard Airfix models, but the Revell ones that everyone really preferred, especially their Mitsubishi Zero.

Curry's the best toy shop?

What about Beattie's in East Street? Again, if you liked plastic modelling kits, or just the smell of glue, this was the place.

Yep, I remember the shops Mr Florida Marlin mentions!

Used to cycle from West End to Connors in Woolston and then on to the floating bridge to Patstone and Cox looking for the best deal.

Enjoyed going to Woolworths for the sweets and M&S for their free cheese samples!!