Shops of yore

I have a few posts on here concerning 'Coventry Motor Mart' on the London Road. The building is still there but I have found a great photo of it around 1953. Coventry Motor Mart, London Road

You so right Foxcote here is the same Coventry Motor mart building today, I know which one I prefer, Photo via google street view

I certainly prefer the 'Then' to 'Now'! What an unusual design isn't it . I noted on the older photograph, they were advertising the Gaumont Buildings as well as the Whitley Depot. I did find a photograph of their Cycles Business in Whitefriar Street. Whitefriar Street, c. 1957

Good find Foxcote It's actually in Jordan Well where Motor Mart occupied both units between the corner and the cinema. One sold mostly bikes and the other sold mostly toys. You can see a reflection of Lynes Store at the top of Cox Street in one window and a reflection of a shop on the other side of Jordan Well in the other window.

Thanks Dutchman, I just went and had another look for the reflections!! While I am on, do check the Mirrorpix site, there's a mixture of new images on which may prove of use? They usually put the new ones first so they are quite easy to find.

Having just browsed through all pages of shops and the like I can comment as follows: Swifts cycle shop at General Wolfe. Their daughter went to Coventry Junior Tec. school (comm). 1944/6. very nice girl. Did she take over the business? Matterson Huxley and Watson, near Opera House. Could not find any mention. Manager there was Mr. Clark in the 40s. Holy terror to the staff but a good man (that was the style of the day). Does anyone recall the batch shop opposite Cashs Lane? (Cash closed their doors this week after over 100 yrs manufacturing ribbons). The batch shop was owned by the Picken family who lived at 232 Foleshill Rd. We lived at 234 after you-know-who blew our previous home away. Also I have seen no mention of the best tailor in Coventry, Walter Hammon (even better than my father!!). Let's see what other links can be generated. Ron Critchlow

They did originally Steve, it's recorded in planning records: LINK

I bought my first road legal motorcycle from here. I paid the huge sum of £27.10s for a Francis Barnett Falcon and it cost me approximately the same amount to have the engine rebuilt a year later.

Can anyone remember a shop in 1970 midway along the south side of the city arcade which sold (among other things) Subbuteo and plastic assembly kits? I remember they had in their window that year a display of the Subbuteo World Cup Edition with (I think) all 16 international teams also the Revell Saturn V moon rocket which was big news at the time. It may not necessarily have been a toy or model shop.

I recently saw an old photo of City Arcade from the 1960s - all the shops had little signs above the doors with icons and their name, and all in the same style. It also looked a bit different to today, it seems that the area beneath the windows of the shop units was filled in. It certainly looked smarter then.

I remember a shop a few doors up from Victor Value / Tesco in the Arcade I would say directly opposite the stairs up to the Thistle Pub (don't know if this was the South side) that sold many different things on two floors, Gifts etc. I bought 'Corgi' cars and suchlike in there during the 60's Would this be the one Dutchman ?

Afraid not Wearethemods. This one was further along the arcade and on the opposite side.

In the early 1960s there was a good tailor in the High Street: Carters occupied one of the temporary shops. If I drew a picture of what I had in mind they could create a jacket from it. Just along from them was the District Bank - now I believe the premises are occupied by the Yorkshire Bank. Where the chi bar is located on the street view of Google Earth was Weltons Chemist and on the corner of Hay Lane was the Anslows furniture showroom. My ex-wife and I bought several items of furniture from there when I came out of the army in 1971.

Reviving an old discussion: The camera shop at the top of Hertford Street (possibly the address was Provincial Bank Chambers) was none of the names mentioned in my day. I feel it began with 'P' and they did sell the camera of my dreams then - the Corfield Periflex Gold Star. It was one of the last models of 'enthusiast' cameras made in the UK. It cost £45 which was well out of my range being on just £5 a week.