High Street names that have completely vanished

westernpromise

Someone mentioned Rumbelows on another thread and it occurred to me that while the name is familiar I cannot recall what they used to sell.

Was it TVs?

Other names that have gone missing: Macfisheries, International, Dickins and Jones, Waring and Gillow, Bentalls, Timothy White, Zodiac Toys, Radio Rentals, Toys'R'Us. The latter is of course very recent, and I recall that Safeway was acquired, but what happened to the others? Any others people can remember?

chris_m

westernpromise wrote: »

Someone mentioned Rumbelows on another thread and it occurred to me that while the name is familiar I cannot recall what they used to sell.

Was it TVs?

Amongst other things.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumbelows

lisyloo

Woolworths
littlewoods (now part of shop direct group)
C&A (shut down in UK)

Thrugelmir

Comet
Dewhurst
Fine Fare
BHS
Allders

Malthusian

Fads (still exists but went online).

With all these high street names that went bust there surely can't be any shops left on the high street at all.

It's impossible that any new shops could have opened on those high streets because nothing new is allowed to happen or be invented or founded once you personally turn 35.

pumpkin89

Bentalls sort of still exists - it was bought by Fenwick who still operate it.

Thrugelmir

Malthusian wrote: »

With all these high street names that went bust there surely can't be any shops left on the high street at all.

Chains have grown to dominate. Do you remember how small the premises of supermarkets such as Sainsburys and Tesco's used to be on the High Street. High streets are dying in some areas. In the main due to out of town centres. High streets need to be returned to living breathing areas. Where residential is combined with units suitable for independent traders to set up. Globalisation is making shopping less of an experience and more of a chore.

Sapphire

westernpromise wrote: »

Someone mentioned Rumbelows on another thread and it occurred to me that while the name is familiar I cannot recall what they used to sell.

Was it TVs?

Other names that have gone missing: Macfisheries, International, Dickins and Jones, Waring and Gillow, Bentalls, Timothy White, Zodiac Toys, Radio Rentals, Toys'R'Us. The latter is of course very recent, and I recall that Safeway was acquired, but what happened to the others? Any others people can remember?

Bentalls is still alive and kicking; a few years ago, it was bought by Fenwicks from the Bentall family , who founded it in the 19th century. It's a good store (as is Fenwicks).

lindens

Tandy
Bejam (bought by Tesco)

Sapphire

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Globalisation is making shopping less of an experience and more of a chore.

Yes, it does become boring, with all the generic imported tat, chain brands of expensive coffee shop and so on. I'd say the same for much of the 'stuff' that is online, though I'm using online sources less and less now. Have seldom bought things like clothing online anyway and only if I know a brand very well and it is unavailable in the UK. I bought something from Bloomingdales in the US recently, for example. In general, I'm very fussy about clothes and only buy things that I can try on. I'm also frequenting my local market for British-produced vegetables and fruits, not packaged in plastic, but put into those traditional little brown paper bags. I use cash to buy these things.

I'd certainly like to see individual shops, especially some with British brands. It is surprising what is still produced in the UK, up north for example, and I want to support the small local producers.

Dime_Bar

Beatties the model shop & Electronics Boutique two mainstays of my youth.