* You are viewing the archive for September, 2009

A busy day for retail – M&S, Blacks, and giving GIVe a look

Graham Soult September 30, 2009 Department Stores, Fashion Stores, Online, Property 3 Comments

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Millets store

Millets store

Today’s retail news has arguably been dominated by Marks and Spencer revealing better than expected results, and Blacks Leisure (owner of Millets, as well as its eponymous chain) announcing plans to shut 89 stores that “have not traded profitably for many years” (in which case, you may wonder why the company has persevered with those branches as long as it has – Woolworths’ demise surely … Continue Reading

Nice Tucci you again

Graham Soult September 29, 2009 Fashion Stores, Online, Property 3 Comments

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Wandering along Newcastle’s Grainger Street yesterday afternoon, I was quite surprised to see that the old Tucci fashion store – which closed down probably several months ago – is now trading again in its former premises.

Reopened Tucci store in Newcastle

Reopened Tucci store in Newcastle

Whatever the rationale for the change of heart (and there’s some discussion/speculation about that here), it’s clearly a positive move in that it brings one … Continue Reading

Is Apple Store coming to Newcastle’s Eldon Square?

Graham Soult September 29, 2009 Fashion Stores, Property 3 Comments

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It certainly looks like it, according to the latest, publically available version of the Eldon Square South letting plan - linked to from here. What’s more, it also appears that there’s going to be a branch of the trendy fashion brand of the moment, Superdry.

Here’s a screenshot:

Screenshot of ES South lettings map, September 2009

Screenshot of ES South lettings map, September 2009

At present, the only … Continue Reading

How many former Woolworths can Graham visit in one day?

Graham Soult September 18, 2009 Property, Woolworths 7 Comments

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How about SIX?

Former Woolworths, Redcar

Former Woolworths, Redcar (17 Sep 2009)

Stop one is High Street in Redcar, where the former Woolworths store has recently become a branch of the Yorkshire Trading Company. As always seems to be the case with old Woolies stores, it still looks and feels much like a Woolworths inside, and appears to sell a similar range of goods – homewares, gardening products, confectionery, and the like. However, when I … Continue Reading

I haven’t seen one of those in a while…

Graham Soult September 17, 2009 Brands, Retail History 3 Comments

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Back of the WHSmith store in Redcar (17 Sep 2009)

Back of the WHSmith store in Redcar (17 Sep 2009)

Visiting Redcar today, I was amused to spot a little throwback to the past in the form of an old WHSmith fascia, featuring the once familiar cube of ‘W’, ‘H’ and ‘S’ letters. 

Curiously, the main frontage of the store in Redcar High Street features the more up-to-date blue … Continue Reading