Showing posts with label retail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retail. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2024

Hollywood Bowl Mini-Golf at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees

A new Mini-Golf course is opening at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.


The 12-hole indoor Mini-Golf course is set to open as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

The layout will be a Puttstars Mini-Golf course and is opening on Friday 22nd March.

Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)
Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)

Visit the Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars websites for more information.


We've played at Puttstars before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Easter Mini-Golf in Shrewsbury

Free mini-golf at The Darwin shopping centre in Shrewsbury this Easter.


Free mini-golf at The Darwin shopping centre in Shrewsbury this Easter

There will be a pop-up 9-hole mini-golf course at The Darwin shopping centre in Shrewsbury on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th March.

Visit the Shropshire Council website for more information.


We enjoyed two trips to Shrewsbury last year and are looking forward to returning this year. Unfortunately we won't be there in time for the Easter mini-golf event.

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:

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:

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:

Thursday, February 08, 2024

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

A look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.


Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

We visited the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea in April. It was nice to see some of the signage was still in place, even though there was a lot of scaffolding up around it.

Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

I've since heard that all of the Blockbuster signage has now been removed.

Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)


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, 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


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.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Adventure Golf at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Orpington, Kent

There are plans for a new Adventure Golf course at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Orpington, Kent.


There are plans for a new Adventure Golf course at Ruxley Manor Garden Centre in Orpington, Kent

The 18-hole Adventure Golf will be an outdoor layout.

Visit the Ruxley Manor Garden Centre website for more information.

Jurassic Mini-Golf at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon

A new Jurassic-themed Mini-Golf course is opening at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon, Essex.


A new Jurassic-themed Mini-Golf course is opening at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon, Essex

The indoor dinosaur-themed Mini-Golf course will be part of the new Jurassica Live venue at the shopping centre.

Visit the Jurassica Live website for more information.

Mini-Golf at Teesside Park

A new Mini-Golf course is planned to open at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.


A new Puttstars Mini-Golf course is planned to open at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees

The 12-hole indoor Mini-Golf course is set to open as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

The layout will be a Puttstars Mini-Golf course.

Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)
Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)

Visit the Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars websites for more information.


We've played at Puttstars before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

Friday, October 20, 2023

Putt Putt Noodle in Colchester

A new Putt Putt Noodle indoor minigolf venue is planned to open in Colchester.


Putt Putt Noodle
The katakana characters on the left of the Putt Putt Noodle logo translate as 'Lucky'

There are plans to turn the former Debenhams department store in Colchester, Essex into an indoor crazy golf course.

Visit the Putt Putt Noodle website to find out more about the brand's existing courses.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Aces Minigolf Gloucester is growing

The superb 12-hole miniature golf layout at Dobbies Garden Centre in Gloucester is expanding to become an 18-hole course.


We played the Aces Minigolf Gloucester course in July 2021 to play a few rounds and compete in the Aces Minigolf Gloucester Invitational Tournament - that event was the first minigolf competition we'd played in since 2019 and it was fun to be back in action.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester
The new holes will be on the other side of the fence on the right hand side

It'll be interesting to see what the new 6-holes look and play like.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester
Aces Minigolf Gloucester

Check out the Aces Minigolf Gloucester Facebook Page for more information, opening times and prices.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester was the 967th course visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 550th played since September 2006.

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