Adwatch UK

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The 1981 Christmas advert for the famous British chain store Woolworths, which has just gone the way of its American counterpart:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hX2Ha6ZDA4w

Shep sez: Way back in 1981, Woolworths could do no wrong, but in recent years it lost its way and was eclipsed by other shops offering a greater choice of products for less money. Additonally, it was hit hard by the rise of Amazon and similar online retailers. It's quite sad that all 800 stores in the chain will finally cease to be by January 5th 2009.

Comments

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

I do miss Woolworth's - there were other department stores in downtown Boston but Woolworth's had a lot more and was very affordable. It's a damned shame, since Woolworth's seemed to fit into the downtown area just fine.

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

A lot of UK high streets are going to have a big Woolworths-shaped void in their frontage for quite some time, methinks. I find it hard to imagine a world without Woolies.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Do you have Wilkinson's near you? Or a Boyes?

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

We have a Wilko where I live (Southend) - in southern England, they seem to have opened up in all the buildings which used to house C&A and smaller branches of Tesco and Sainsburys. I came across Boyes when I was in the north east in the summer. They had some really good stuff in stock and reminded me somewhat of Woolies twenty-odd years ago :)

[salenelle.livejournal.com]

I used to LOVE going to Woolworth's here in the U.S. They had pajamas, budgies, paper goods, make-up... they had it all! Even a soda fountain counter where you could get a malt and fries and a patty melt for about 3 bucks. I miss those stores.

[nabradia.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna miss Woolies when it's gone. =/ Fantastic 80's Advert, though. =D

[shep-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I loved Woolies in the early-mid 1980s. Pity it went downhill after that.

[misstia]

i loved woolworths...when i was in high school a friend and i would go there every saturday for lunch---they made the BEST cherry coke with extra cherry syrup!

no other store has a lunch counter like that any more... :( though of course 'downtown' has pretty much disappeared in the vast majority of america---curse those strip malls!!!

[evillart.livejournal.com]

It is sad. One of my good friends lives in Leeds and his mother works at one.

[tanwen.livejournal.com]

I remember the one in my town when I was growing up. I was so sad when it closed.