Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. 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:

Saturday, February 17, 2024

The old Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton


The old Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton

The old Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton

The old Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton
A ghost sign of the torn ticket logo at the back of the store

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:

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

Saturday, February 03, 2024

The old Blockbuster Video store in Southampton

A look at the former Blockbuster Video store in Southampton.


Blockbuster Video in Southampton

We visited the old Blockbuster Video store on Portswood Road in Southampton, Hampshire back in May 2021.

Blockbuster Video in Southampton

Blockbuster Video in Southampton

Work was underway to open the location as a new business. Luckily there were still some traces of the Blockbuster brand.

Blockbuster Video in Southampton

Blockbuster Video in Southampton

Blockbuster Video in Southampton

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:

Thursday, February 01, 2024

Toys R Us shopping trolleys in Stockport

We're always interested in spotting remains of retailers of yesteryear and saw this pair of Toys R Us shopping trolleys at the Renewal North West charity shop in Stockport.


Toys R Us shopping trolley in Stockport

Toys R Us shopping trolley in Stockport


I worked in the Gipsy Lane Toys R Us store in Luton, Bedfordshire back in the year 2000.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018. It's interesting to see that there are still remnants of the original brand in the UK. 

Toys R Us returned to the UK in 2023, as the brand can now be found in some branches of WH Smith. We haven't been near to any of the new version stores yet. It'll be interesting to see what they're like.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

The end of Blockbuster Video in the UK

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on this day in 2013.


Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

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.

It's amazing that there are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks ten years later.

Lost Blockbuster Video store in Prescot, Merseyside
If you're lucky, and know where to look, you might find a QuikDrop box hiding in plain sight

The first Blockbuster Video store had opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on the 19th October 1985.

The very last Blockbuster Video store in operation is in Bend, Oregon, USA.

We live near an abandoned Blockbuster Video store here in Manchester. It's always an eerie, interesting and nostalgic thing to drive past the old shop at Fallowfield Retail Park.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester
Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

The sign about the closure was still visible on the window there before it was boarded up earlier this year.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

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


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 02, 2023

The old Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton

A look at the old Toys R Us store at St James Retail Park in Northampton.


Earlier this year we had a short break to visit friends in Northampton and while there had another look at the old Toys R Us shop at St James Retail Park on Towcester Road.

Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton (April 2023)
Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton (April 2023)

We've since heard that Home Bargains are soon to move in to the premises.


I worked in the Gipsy Lane Toys R Us store in Luton, Bedfordshire back in the year 2000.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018. It's interesting to see that there are still remnants of the original brand on some retail parks in the UK. 

Toys R Us returned to the UK earlier this summer, as the brand can now be found in some branches of WH Smith. We haven't been near to any of the new version stores yet. It'll be interesting to see what they're like.

Friday, December 16, 2022

The end of Blockbuster Video in the UK

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on this day in 2013.


Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

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.

It's amazing that there are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks nine years later.

Lost Blockbuster Video store in Prescot, Merseyside
If you're lucky, and know where to look, you might find a QuikDrop box hiding in plain sight

The first Blockbuster Video store had opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on the 19th October 1985.

The very last Blockbuster Video store in operation is in Bend, Oregon, USA.

We live near an abandoned Blockbuster Video store here in Manchester. It's always an eerie, interesting and nostalgic thing to drive past the old shop at Fallowfield Retail Park.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester
Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester - soon to become a Lidl

The sign about the closure is still on the window there.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

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.

Our travels have taken us to a number of former Blockbuster stores:

Other video shops we've been to include B.V.C. - Bolton Video Centre in Little Lever, Bolton and 20th Century Flicks in Bristol - and both were still trading!

Friday, November 18, 2022

Lost Shops - Grainger Games in Warrington

Spotting an old Grainger Games shop in Warrington.


Grainger Games in Warrington

We saw this former Grainger Games shop at the Golden Square shopping centre in Warrington, Cheshire today.

Grainger Games in Warrington

We've also seen former Grainger Games stores in StretfordSalfordHydeAshton-Under-Lyne and Bradford.

Interestingly some of them still had a few bits of stock inside!

The shop unit in Warrington will soon be home to Funky Figures. It's nice to see they've kept all of the former Grainger Games shelving inside to give it a nostalgic hit.

The company was founded in 1996 and ceased operations on the 28th March 2018.

As a brand with shops in the North of England and Scotland I only became a regular shopper at Grainger Games when I moved to Stockport in 2016. I picked up some nice old games for my SEGA Master System there.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

37 years of Blockbuster Video

Not entirely gone, and not entirely forgotten.


Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton, Warwickshire
This was the sign at the Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton, Warwickshire when it was uncovered for a short period of time in 2021

The first Blockbuster Video store opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on this day in 1985.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 stores around the world. 500-plus of those were in the UK.


There has been a boom in nostalgia for the brand - which back in the day was seen as something of a category killer that saw off many smaller operators.

Blockbuster in the UK


Blockbuster Video Express in Billingham, Teesside
The remains of the Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham, Teesside in 2020

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013. At the start of that year there were 528 Blockbuster locations in the UK. The number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. The remaining stores closed on the 16th December.

There are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks. And we've been to most of them on our travels!



Blockbuster Video Express in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight
A ghost sign at the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight in 2021


Lost brands

Emily and I have spent a lot of the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days' before the coronavirus pandemic hit the planet. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.

Saturday, July 23, 2022

Woolworths shopping trolleys in Bolton

Seeing some shopping relics on a trip to Bolton.


We're always interested in spotting remains of retailers of yesteryear and while in Bolton we remembered that we'd heard there had been some former Woolworths shopping trolleys in Bolton Indoor Market.

Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market
Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market

Luckily they were still there. An odd place for them to end up after the closure of Woolies back in 2009. But good to see they're still knocking around. Even if they have been locked up and put out of use!?

Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market
Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market

Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market
Woolworths shopping trolleys at Bolton Indoor Market

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 last September.


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

Monday, July 11, 2022

Happy National 7-Eleven Day

It's National 7-Eleven Day.


A 7-Eleven store in Stockholm, Sweden

7-Eleven convenience stores celebrate National 7-Eleven Day on when else but the 11th July.

A 7-Eleven store in Stockholm, Sweden
We were surprised to see a number of 7-Eleven stores in Stockholm on our last trip there in 2018. We'd only ever seen them in the USA before that

The first 7-Eleven Day was held in 2002.