Author Topic: the shops of brum city center in the 50s  (Read 51627 times)

roy one

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2009, 02:02:33 PM »
hi denise

               ya big kid  he he he  we are all kids at heart
each day is a blessing and I bless each day when it comes

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2009, 10:01:26 AM »
It's a wonder that Lewis's ever closed, because everytime department stores come up on a forum it is always Lewis's that comes to the fore. We had many other large stores in Birmingham. Whilst I don't know a lot about them in the 50's. I had a lot of experience of them in the 60's.

There was quite a few Lewis.s (of course) Rackhams, Greys, C & A , Marks & Sparks, Woolworths, Henry's, Beehive, Boots, Littlewoods, BHS. There were others of course but these are the ones that we lads would pass the day strolling around. The ones that were big enough not to be pounced on by the sales staff trying to sell you something.

There was only one thing us lads had our eyes open for and that was a likely lass to chat up for a date. Our little firm used to have bets on who we could chat up and those that would just deff us out. Not very gentlemanly I agree but great fun. Then there were the bets on the girls from Rackhams & Miss Selfridge who thought themselves something special. There was a standing bet on who would be the first to date a girl from those stores.

The trouble is after a while the girls learned of our little game and none of us was able to get a date. Shame it was great fun while it lasted and it could be profitable.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2009, 08:14:29 PM »
Hi All,

Lewis's was really something.  Block A and Block B on either side of The Minories. On one of the upper floors there was a bridge across from one block to another - was it part of the furniture department ?  The food department was always interesting to walk through, with countless different smells.  I think that they moved their record department out of the building and had it in the subway under Corporation Street during the Sixties.  I came across the attached bit of nostalgia which is a wallet for photos developed at Lewis's Photographic Department. Judging by the negatives still inside my cousin probably had the film developed in the mid-Fifties.  Note the different branches of Lewis's up and down the country and that the the picture was a prize winning competition entry from Brum.

Brian

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2009, 10:59:10 PM »
Here is an advert from the late 1950s for Greys which includes a nice shot of the building.

Brian

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2009, 11:17:44 PM »
This Lewis's advert from 1958 depicts The Minories, between A Block and B Block

Brian

denise

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2009, 12:24:16 AM »
Brilliant pics  :)

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #17 on: November 18, 2009, 12:45:33 AM »
Thanks Denise - more to come !

Brian

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2009, 08:06:58 PM »
Another Fifties ad for Greys

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #19 on: November 21, 2009, 09:54:22 PM »
Here is a nice period advert for Perry's of Corporation Street.

Phil

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #20 on: November 21, 2009, 10:21:17 PM »
A different time, a different way of shopping. The Great Western Arcade in its heyday.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

9teen48

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Re: the shops of brum city center in the 50s
« Reply #21 on: November 22, 2009, 08:31:59 PM »
Phil,

What a great picture of the Great Western Arcade, as you say in a different time.  The arcades in Birmingham town centre were always fascinating during the 1950s and 1960s.  In addition to the Great Western there was the Midland Arcade, the Windsor Arcade, the Piccadilly Arcade, the City Arcade and the North Western Arcade.  I was also fond of Burlington Passage which ran from New Street to  Stephenson Street, partly open and partly covered, with another part under cover which went off at right-angles through to Lower Temple Street.  You had to cross this part of the passage when going from one side of Hudsons bookshop to the other.

Brian


 

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