Tuesday 10 March 2009

The passing of old friends - # 09/30

We've lived with it all our lives. It was a well known part of the town landscape, and now in every town all over the country it's a large gaping hole boarded-up against vandals and squatters.

Woolworths was an institution. In the more recent years it had lost its way a bit, but for millions of kids and their parents it still meant good value in toys, sweets and hardware and everyday clothes.

We all feel sad and rather stunned. It's like sitting in a life boat and watching your ship sink under the waves.

"Where were you when they announced the The Death of Woolworths"?

The extrawide angle lens adds a twist to the image and, for me, makes it even more poignant. I'm sad.

11 comments:

  1. Oh! ;-( I spent hours at woolies when I was a kid. Woolies and Underwoods.

    ReplyDelete
  2. tis sad to see so many old friends vanish from our high streets...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, I grew up with Woolworths, too. And I was sad to see them go; especially the soda fountains. But that was so many years ago. It is interesting that you still had them around until recently.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been sad. Ours slammed shut down here years and years ago. Fond memories for sure. It was called a " Five and Dime", but we always called it "the 10 cent store". Another one bites the dust.
    V

    ReplyDelete
  5. Woolies as a general goods store was phased out maybe 20 years ago here. However, the name is still used by our equal largest supermarket chain, groceries and F&Veg.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, heard about it... amazing and sad. But you still have Harrods! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great photo for a sad photo, chuckeroon.

    I got used to Woolworths in Australia too, it's one of the two leading supermarket chains there along with Coles.

    But from what I understand Woolworths Australia hasn't been affected.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm sorry I don't have your personal e-mail but my little finger told me you were involved in the arrival of a small bean bag at my place today.

    Thank you ever so much for that. I look forward to using it !

    Cheers xx Nathalie

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sad, lost jobs, no cheap sweeties,amazing to think Woolworths is no more.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It was the first iperstore I visited in England when teenager... The photo says much more than words.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Woolies a name I say affectionately. I lament the passing and of all the images I've seen of the stores this is the most poignant.

    ReplyDelete