Nostalgic Memories of Long Gone Retailers

[Benny Holiday]

Lots to remember. Gowings menswear in the city, sadly missed. Knock and Kirby's hardware are long gone. Waltons department stores, Keith Lord furniture and also Joyce Mayne furniture. There were grocery stores like Safeway (Red S) that might still be around in other states but gone from NSW. And whilst Coles are still one of the big two supermarkets here, up to about 30 years ago they used to have a lunch counter with the best chips and gravy going.

 

[Rmccamey]

Similar for me. Radio Shack had a lot of the radio gear every ham operator needed; coax, wire, connectors, breadboard, switches, meters, antennas...you name it.

Radio Shack was a real loss in my line of work. There are many times when we're setting up for a show and end up needing a very specific type of cable or adapter for some kind of gear being brought in, and you knew RS would have it. And when the show goes on in an hour, Amazon Prime doesn't cut it at all.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I still shop at Penney’s every now and then, at their store at a nearby suburban mall. I get in and get out, though. I go in search of a new shirt or three and maybe a couple pairs of pants. The mall itself has proven itself less than hospitable to many folks, though, as evidenced by the diminished traffic through its doors. It’s become a hangout for often ill-behaved youngsters. One dustup there not long ago resulted in the murder of a 15-year-old boy. It would come as no surprise if the entire thing failed before long.

When I was very young we had two malls within a reasonable driving distance of home, and by the time I was in my mid-teens shopping malls were popping up almost everywhere. I tended to avoid them unless I had no choice, simply because I hated going to them and being in them. If any of my friends ever suggested, "Hey, let's go hang out at the mall..." my first response was to want to punch them in the face. These days I've somewhat gotten used to having to go to a mall if I need something, but for me those are usually like a military strike. "Okay, I've got to get in, get what I need, and get out before the enemy realizes I've infiltrated their space."

 

[Rmccamey]

Fort Worth, TX

 

[tonyb]

Late 1960s, about the time I moved to Seattle.

White Front filled that niche between the five-and-dimes and “regular” department stores. Wigwam was a similar local chain out that way.

 

[Jon Crow]

Gold top leathers UK I had my first motorcycle boots from them, and what about Lewis leathers

 

[Rmccamey]

 

[Rmccamey]

 

[tonyb]

Just came across this photo of the main Seattle Sears store when it was new. The structure still stands. It is now Starbucks headquarters.

 

[Fifty150]

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[Fifty150]

 

[Bushman]

K-mart.... I thought these guys were gone from the US (maybe one store-front remaining). My wife and I were lamenting the loss and really enjoyed shopping there back in the day. Then, I made the trip to New Zealand and stumbled on a K-mart in almost every mall (anchor stores, not free-standing). The vibe was the same,; crowded aisles, inexpensive household items, etc. It was a great opportunity to score some stocking stuffers.

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K-Mart, KB toys, and Walden Books... i have fond memories of all. Funny, I was just on Facebook for a quick check up and saw some photos of K-Mart's Halloween selection from the early 2000s. I remember putting so many home made costumes together from those aisles as a kid, including a Darth Vader costume using a cheap plastic mask, a simple black cape, and a mislabeled "Power Rangers" suit.