Author Topic: Extinct supermarkets  (Read 15001 times)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Extinct supermarkets
« on: 16 January, 2019, 11:30:48 am »
Yeah, to go with Food lore.

Fine Fare
Key Markets
Gateway
Somerfield

Those are the supermarkets that stood in succession in one corner of the Merrywalks shopping precinct in Stroud, behind what was then Woolworths. Or perhaps Key Markets came before Fine Fare. Anyway, I think there might be a Co-op there now. Perhaps Jaded could investigate? Or perhaps not.

I look forward to hearing other bygone names and perhaps finding out that some of these chains survive in remote wastelands of shopping.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

ian

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #1 on: 16 January, 2019, 11:46:50 am »
My mum used to shop at Fine Fare. I think that one also mutated through Gateway and into Safeway. I think the site is an Iceland now.

My first ever job was chief monkey at the Co-op. Apparently, according to my mother, that just closed. To be honest, as the main 'industry' in the town appears to be the promulgation of retail park supermarkets (I'm never sure on the economics of having all the major supermarkets in easy drive of each other, people do realise they sell the same stuff at basically the same prices, don't they?), I'm surprised it survived so long (it was a smallish high street supermarket, like they all used to be).

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #2 on: 16 January, 2019, 11:47:28 am »
The first significant supermarket in Leyland was Victor Value, that was acquired by Tesco in 1968. Tesco built a big new store in the early 2000s and the original Victor Value building continues as a branch of Iceland.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #3 on: 16 January, 2019, 11:49:28 am »
Did Kwik Save count as a supermarket?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #4 on: 16 January, 2019, 11:51:41 am »
The current Tesco in Leyland stands on the site of two supermarkets, one was a Co-Op, the other was built as a Mainstop, then became an International, then Carrefour, then Gateway, then Food Giant, then it was demolished.

ian

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #5 on: 16 January, 2019, 11:58:23 am »
Did Kwik Save count as a supermarket?

In Liverpool, it counted as Care in the Community (obligatory dress code was nightwear and slippers). Still, it was one step above Diamond Frozen Food. Frozen kebabs ftw.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #6 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:10:17 pm »
Did Kwik Save count as a supermarket?

In Liverpool, it counted as Care in the Community (obligatory dress code was nightwear and slippers). Still, it was one step above Diamond Frozen Food. Frozen kebabs ftw.
I think that role in Bristol has been taken over by Asdal. The Kwik Save I remember had a separate greengrocer's in the same building, just in case shoppers should fall prey to a sudden urge. That site is now our fourth-nearest Co-op.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #7 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:17:09 pm »
The first significant supermarket in Leyland was Victor Value, that was acquired by Tesco in 1968. Tesco built a big new store in the early 2000s and the original Victor Value building continues as a branch of Iceland.
Victor Value. Fine Fare. Retail victims of declining educational standards that led to subsequent generations failing to appreciate the value of alliteration in acquisition.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #8 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:18:54 pm »
MacFisheries
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #9 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:22:31 pm »
The first significant supermarket in Leyland was Victor Value, that was acquired by Tesco in 1968. Tesco built a big new store in the early 2000s and the original Victor Value building continues as a branch of Iceland.
Victor Value. Fine Fare. Retail victims of declining educational standards that led to subsequent generations failing to appreciate the value of alliteration in acquisition.

Heather's mum refused to shop at Kwik Save, as it was incorrectly spelt. She now won't shop at Lidl, as it is set out anti-clockwise

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #10 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:25:25 pm »
Heather's mum refused to shop at Kwik Save, as it was incorrectly spelt. She now won't shop at Lidl, as it is set out anti-clockwise

A kindred spirit with Dr Biggles, who refuses to install apps on his iPad because 'app' isn't a word.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #11 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:26:51 pm »
Presto

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #12 on: 16 January, 2019, 12:46:08 pm »
Yeah, to go with Food lore.

Fine Fare
Key Markets
Gateway
Somerfield

Those are the supermarkets that stood in succession in one corner of the Merrywalks shopping precinct in Stroud, behind what was then Woolworths. Or perhaps Key Markets came before Fine Fare. Anyway, I think there might be a Co-op there now. Perhaps Jaded could investigate? Or perhaps not.


Similarly, one site in my home town had, over the years:

Lennons
Gateway
Somerfield

I just checked Streetview, and it shows a Co-Op - however,a bit of Googling suggests this is now closed. I have no idea what's there now.

The local Kwik Save appears to be derelict.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #13 on: 16 January, 2019, 01:13:39 pm »
Bishops

hulver

  • I am a mole and I live in a hole.
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #14 on: 16 January, 2019, 01:16:13 pm »
I used to pop into LoCost near the Hallam Uni in sheffield when I was a student there. Or intend to go there, but then actually go to the chippy and end up sitting in the Student Union drinking pints waiting for off-peak time on the buses so the fares were cheaper.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #15 on: 16 January, 2019, 01:18:30 pm »
Bejam

Jackson's (in Hull)

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #16 on: 16 January, 2019, 01:25:02 pm »
Netto.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #17 on: 16 January, 2019, 01:51:58 pm »
Safeway (now Morrison's)
Presto

Geographically-named Co-ops: Sheffield had S&E (Sheffield & Ecclesall) and B&C (Brightside & Carbrook) when I was a PSO.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #18 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:07:25 pm »
I wonder how many of these were regional? I recognize several names: Bejam, Safeway, KwikSave, I think Presto – but others I've definitely never heard.: Lennons, Jackson's, Bishops, Diamond Frozen Food, LoCost. Of course they might have been national just I never encountered them. I think Netto was, maybe is, German?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #19 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:19:33 pm »
I don't think Sainsbury's ventured north of its southern birthplace till the mid 1970s. It was an almost exotic luxury for me as a student in Sheffield, where the established supermarkets stocked aisles of biscuits and little of what I considered Sensible Food.

Here in Burnt Oak, our local Tesco closed a few months ago. This was the replacement for one of Jack Cohen's first outlets.

There are, of course, many other Tesco branches within a few miles.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #20 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:22:10 pm »
One of the first large supermarkets to appear in the area was Carreforre, which was in Telford town centre.
I don't want to grow old gracefully. I want to grow old disgracefully.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #21 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:26:54 pm »
There was Wm Low around here. They were quite modern and impressive for the time. Then taken over by Tesco, seems most of them have since been replaced by much larger Tesco shops.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #22 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:39:16 pm »
I wonder how many of these were regional? I recognize several names: Bejam, Safeway, KwikSave, I think Presto – but others I've definitely never heard.: Lennons, Jackson's, Bishops, Diamond Frozen Food, LoCost. Of course they might have been national just I never encountered them.

I was wondering the same thing.  (Of course I may have simply missed the ones that were pre-1985.)

I don't think I discovered Morrisons until I was a student, and I remember barakta not having heard of Budgens when I first met her.  Somerfield's another one that I'd heard of (mainly in the context of where you could drop off milk bottle tops so Blue Peter could turn them into guide dogs) but never actually saw in the flesh.


Quote
I think Netto was, maybe is, German?

Danish.  It makes the German ones look positively upmarket (and I'm only slightly prejudiced against it because there's a dog in the logo).  I remember avoiding the Canterbury branch which always seemed to have people hanging around smoking in it.  Often they were the staff.  The one we lived near in Sheffield wasn't that bad, but we only really used it for generic tinned goods.



This thread wouldn't be complete without mention of the authentic 1980s Tescos that survived in West Bromwich until 2013.

Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #23 on: 16 January, 2019, 02:58:08 pm »
I think there were a lot of regional supermarkets in the past. There's one I used to get dragged around as a child, but I just cannot remember its name. It went through various incarnations before being knocked down and rebuilt and ending up a drug rehabilitation centre. Which of course is not a bad thing.

Gah.... it's driving me mad. It was a proper old school 60s supermarket. I'll get the name in the end though, I promise  :P
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Extinct supermarkets
« Reply #24 on: 16 January, 2019, 03:07:57 pm »
I don't think I discovered Morrisons until I was a student,
In Canterbury? I have a feelign there was Morrisons in Buckinghamshire, where my grandmother lived, but it certainly didn't exist at about the same latitude 90 miles or so west, so it might have been a southeast/home counties thing. (Not sure if Buckinghamshire really qualifies as home counties, but near enough.)
Quote
and I remember barakta not having heard of Budgens when I first met her. 
Another one. Not sure if I've ever been in one.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.