Showing posts with label shop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shop. Show all posts

Saturday, February 24, 2024

A Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Finding a Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.


The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

On our way back home from a trip south we visited the abandoned Toys R Us in Derby as well as the still open Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.

The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

One of the retro brands I remember clearly from growing up in the 80s and 90s was Happy Shopper. The colourful sign with the happy chappy face is a lovely throwback. Happy Shopper received a rebrand in 2000, but if you are lucky you can still find the original branding and signage on some shops.

The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire


Video Box Office at The Wayfairer Discount Store Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Other Happy Shopper shops


We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

Remains of a Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk.


We were surprised and amazed to see an old Happy Shopper sign while en route to Hemsby during an East Anglian Road-Trip.

We had taken a couple of detours because of traffic and ended up on a different road towards the seaside that took us through the village of Ormesby St Margaret. We're always looking for points of interest and new things to spot when on our travels and as we drove past the village shop we both said to each other jokingly "I wonder if that used to be a Happy Shopper?"

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk

Imagine our shock when we saw a really old, classic Happy Shopper sign in one of the shop windows!


Other Happy Shopper shops


We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

The last Woolworths shop in the UK closed in January 2009 so it was brilliant to see this frontage looking fairly unchanged!


Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

We first spotted the store in Longton while driving through the town in 2019 and returned in 2020 for a closer look. We were very surprised to see the branding still in place.

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham

A look at the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham town centre, Teesside.


The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham


The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham

The shopfront was very well maintained and it was nice to see the original signage.

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham

Finding other old Blockbuster Video shops.


It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels. Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013!

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

Saturday, January 13, 2024

The end of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester.

The abandoned Blockbuster Video store at Fallowfield Retail Park in Manchester, England has been demolished.


Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester

I spotted the remains of a Blockbuster Video store while driving to Manchester in October 2019 and have passed by many times since on my way to and from Manchester.

Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester
There are still two signs up on the main sign for the retail park

Until recently it was a very well preserved former Blockbuster shop - with some signage still intact, as well as the QuikDrop box, desks and counters intact.

Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester

Here's what the storefront looked like in January 2022.


Earlier this week demolition work started on several units at Fallowfield Retail Park, with the ex-Blockbuster also being knocked down to make way for a new Lidl supermarket.


Photos of the site (12th January 2024)


The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

The former Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester, 12th January 2024

Blockbuster Video in the UK


The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on the 16th December 2013.

Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.

In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

Blockbuster certainly wasn't the first video rental shop brand, but it was at one time the market leader.

Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited on our travels


Saturday, October 28, 2023

Filmtown in Finland

From Filmtown to Candytown.


Many thanks to my Finnish friend Ion Mittler who has let me know that the Filmtown movie rental chain is stopping film rentals and becoming a chain of sweet shops called Candy Town.

Filmtown is the last movie rental chain in the country. There are currently forty Filmtown stores in Finland, and you can still rent films from four of them for the remainder of 2023 and 2024. The others have already become candy stores.

Ion called into one of the Filmtown stores last weekend and took these snaps. He noted that while there everyone was buying candies and that no one was renting movies.

Filmtown in Finland. Photo by Ion Mittler, October 2023

Filmtown in Finland. Photo by Ion Mittler, October 2023

Filmtown in Finland. Photo by Ion Mittler, October 2023

Filmtown in Finland. Photo by Ion Mittler, October 2023

It's fascinating seeing the change in consumer habits and looking at retail history. We've been to a fair few former video stores on our travels over the last few years.

Check out the Filmtown website for more information.

Tuesday, October 03, 2023

Old Iceland in Coventry

Spotting some old Iceland signage on a modern Iceland store.


Emily spotted this old branding on the signage at the Iceland store in Coventry city centre.

Old Iceland in Coventry

Wednesday, August 09, 2023

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne

A look at the Blockbuster Video Express store in Colne, Lancashire.


We visited the former Blockbuster Video Express shop in Colne on this day in 2020.

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne. August 2020
Blockbuster Video Express in Colne, Lancashire

Exploring during the coronavirus pandemic


As our out-of-home minigolfing adventures were curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic I needed to scratch my exploring itch somehow. During the first nationwide lockdown Emily and I spent our daily outside exercise time walking around the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport where we managed to visit and photograph every one of the 265 pubs, bars and clubs in the area!

On our limited travels we also photographed as many pieces of Covid-19-related signage as we could.

The next mini 'tickable list' urban exploration challenge tapped into my interest in ghost signs, shops, retail marketing and old brands. Ever since I found the remnants of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been amazed to see the brand still has a lingering presence in other places too.

Here's the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Colne and how it looked in August 2020.


Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
Some of the exterior signage

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
Blockbuster Video Express

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
A notice of Administration taped on the inside of the shop window. Note the tape used is Blockbuster branded

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
The old QuikDrop box

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
The sign on the front of the shop was long gone

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne
A look inside the former Blockbuster Video Express store. Still recognisable as a video shop

Blockbuster Video Express in Colne






Blockbuster Video in the UK


Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.

I remember going to the Ritz Video shop on the Peachcroft Estate in my home town of Abingdon, Oxfordshire in the late 80's and early 90's. That store became a Blockbuster and I rented some classics from there back in the day. Check out this post from the excellent Abingdon Blog to see a photo of the shuttered shop in 2014.

Most Blockbuster Video Express stores were somewhat smaller than regular Blockbuster shops. Although all of the stores expanded to include video game rentals. Old signage for the games area has been clearly visible on both the Fallowfield and Colne stores I've been to.

In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.

Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited


Friday, August 04, 2023

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford

Finding a Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford.


A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford
A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)

While having a wander around Stafford earlier this year my eyes were drawn to this ghost sign on the front of a building on Princess Street in the town centre.

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)
A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)

Inside the former Woolworths shop in Stafford (May 2023)
The insides of the former Woolies

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)
The old Woolworths shop location had been home to Sports Direct in more recent times

Other former Woolworths shops

It's fun seeing old & lost brands, ghost signs and retail relics. I took a look at the ghost signs on a former Woolworths store on Blackpool promenade in September 2021.

We saw a Woolworths ghost sign in Nuneaton in May 2022 too. That was a nice surprise!

Like the Blackpool store, the Nuneaton shop site had also most recently been a Poundland and a TJ Hughes.


The last Woolworths shop in the UK closed in January 2009. Every so often remnants of the brand become visible again.


We took a look at an old Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh in August 2011. That was a Big W Woolworths store at The Jewel retail park. It's long gone now.



Thursday, August 03, 2023

Happy National Watermelon Day

It's National Watermelon Day!


Today is the day for my annual excuse to post this photo of one of my all time favourite niche business shopfronts.

Logman Ltd - a business on Caledonian Road in London that specialises in watermelons
Logman Ltd - a business on Caledonian Road in London that specialises in watermelons

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Tandy in Stockport

Finding a Tandy ghost sign thanks to The Power of Parker!


A recent post in the excellent Tandy UK (InterTAN Ltd) Facebook Group alerted me to the fact that there's a ghost sign from an old Tandy shop in Stockport. A fellow group member had spotted in the background of a scene in the new BBC comedy The Power of Parker. The show is set in Stockport in November 1990.

A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport
Tandy lives on!

The store used to be at 111 Prince's Street. It's now home to a Betfred.

Betfred in Stockport town centre
The former Tandy shop in Stockport as it is today

My first job was at a Tandy franchise shop in Abingdon, Oxfordshire back in 1996 where I remember selling a number of electronic products bearing the 'RadioShack', 'Genexxa' and 'Realistic' brand names.


RadioShack Tandy sign at a shop in Whitstable, Kent (September 2012)
A RadioShack Tandy sign at a shop in Whitstable, Kent (September 2012)

It's crazy to think this Tandy signage has been hidden in (relatively) plain sight in my new hometown!

A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport
A Tandy ghost sign in Stockport

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