History of Woolworths (The Moor)

[sheff-lad]

Anybody know anything of the history of woolworths in sheffield?

I know the store in haymarket was bombed out during the war and a new store was built, is this the one that is still on the moor today?? or was there another store in the city?

Also interested to hear stories of anyone who used to work there and hear memories of what the store on the moor used to be like (when it still included what is now superdrug, and after the place was divided in two)

Any photos of the building/staff/interior would be interesting too.....

 

Hope someone out there can help!!!!

 

Sheff-lad

[segasonic]

The Wilkinson's store near the markets was a Woolies (well, Woolco - same company) when I was little. The one on the Moor has been in the same building since before World War II, I saw a picture of it in a book in W.H. Smiths the other day with many of the surrounding buildings having suffered bomb damage. I remember how huge it was inside when I was a kid, used to go to the resturaunt with my parents and get a can of Quattro (like Lilt but nicer, wish you could still get it!). I was inexplicably disappointed when they split it in half, suppose it was cos I liked going there.

 

Looks like I was wrong - this is what was left of Woolies on the Moor after an air raid ...

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s01245

 

The current building on the Moor, 1950

http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s18086

[crookesey]

It was just above Dixon Lane on Haymarket (where BHS was), my aunt worked on the knitting wool counter. The Wilkinson building did house Woolworths later, this is where the Norfolk Market Hall stood prior to being demolished. This was in the 50's so it escaped the bombing, it was an old building and had the Woolworth smell derived from the oil that they used on the wooden floors. It had an exit on Dixon Lane.

[docmel]

the Woolworth smell derived from the oil that they used on the wooden floors. It had an exit on Dixon Lane.

 

The 'Woolworth Smell' - now there a memory! no matter what woolies you went into there was always that smell from the wooden floors. They creaked as you walked on them.

 

Woolies was also the place where I had my first 'soft' ice cream from a machine which was just inside the entrance on the sweet counter.

 

The Woolies on the Moor had the cafe at teh back right hand side - when I first ventured into town on my own (without Mum) it was the place where I headed, if I had the funds for a plate of chips.

 

The cafe in the Haymarket was upstairs if I remember.

 

It seemed to me that all Woolworths sold the same stuff except the one in Blackpool (and I guess other seaside ones) this was at the foot of the Tower and always had different goods on sale than ours back home and was just a passable way of killing time while Mum went 'shopping' when we were on our hols there.

[saxon51]

The Wilkinson's store near the markets was a Woolies (well, Woolco - same company) when I was little. The one on the Moor has been in the same building since before World War II, I saw a picture of it in a book in W.H. Smiths the other day with many of the surrounding buildings having suffered bomb damage. I remember how huge it was inside when I was a kid, used to go to the resturaunt with my parents and get a can of Quattro (like Lilt but nicer, wish you could still get it!). I was inexplicably disappointed when they split it in half, suppose it was cos I liked going there.

 

I used to end up in the restaurant with my mum whenever she dragged me in there in the 50's. Tea and scone for her, and an orange juice and cake for me. It had an electronic rocking horse at the entrance, but I never got to go on it.

[sheff-lad]

Thanks for those replies!

anyone know when the place was split into two shops? i allready know the why, both woolies and superdrug were owned by the kingfisher group, even though wollies is no longer a part of kingfisher you can still see in many towns and citys the superdrug is still in the same building as woolies!,

 

Any other memories/comments/bits of info would be greatfully recieved

 

Cheers!

[extaxman]

I'll never forget the time I saw a wedding reception being held in their cafe. If you think that was strange you should have heard the argument at the checkout when they were deciding who should pay!

[poppet2]

I always miss Woolworths around Christmas, does anyone else?

[123456A]

no.................

[soft ayperth]

Woolies was also the place where I had my first 'soft' ice cream from a machine which was just inside the entrance on the sweet counter.

 

There was a sign over the ice cream counter that said "American ice cream." Back then it was the only place that sold soft ice cream.