Shops of yore

I think it was called "Swan Wear" in the 1970s but by the 1980s had become "First". Both it and the Joke Box were part of the Gaumont/Coliseum building on the corner of Whitefriars Street and Jordan Well.

The First clothes shop is still trading, it is now in Daventry Road opposite Quinton Road.

It's still owned by Gary Kirton who is also a very talented drummer.

Oh my word yes - down near the forum end of the road. I nearly mourned when they closed down - we've never found homemade sausages and faggots anywhere near their quality since - absolutely delicious!! And just a few doors away I also have fond memories of Bonham & Wilson, where I used to pop in to buy the occasional transistor, resistor or reel of solder when I was a young keen electronics geek building little radios, probably around 1980. It led to a job at the GEC though, so mustn't grumble!

I certainly do remember Isherwoods, I passed it on the way to and from school every day, the thought of faggots or sausages for tea kept me going all day, I wonder what happened to their sausage recipe, I've never found anything as good. My mother always got the Sunday joint from there, wonderful stuff, do I remember sawdust on the floor or is that my imagination?

Covgirl - My hubby had a Saturday morning job when very young at the butchers opposite Radford common and one of his jobs was to clean the shop floor and sweep the sawdust up before closing time, so it would have been usual to see sawdust in many butchers shops. (50's)

I wonder whether anyone remembers Mrs Osbourne's sweet shop on Binley Road, and next to the Biggin Hall pub, opposite Momus Boulevard? Just inside Crescent Avenue (same area) on the left was a small cake shop. I think it had no upper storey. They sold their own individual Madeira cakes with a paper wrapper and the shop name. I know it well enough but just now cannot recall the name. Took me 5 minutes to remember, how could I forget? Wimbush, name of the bakery.

Cov girl I don't think I remember sawdust on the floor of Isherwoods, but at Stan Roberts' butcher on Binley Road there was.

A couple of images of Crescent Avenue in here for you

I had a nest of tables and a three piece suite in 1972 from Waring and Gillows at corner of Hay Lane

I remember Isherwood's from the 70's - delicious pies. There was also a bakers on the corner, think it was called Moores. The large electrical appliances shop called Trident was also there at that time. Wonder if anyone remembers the small supermarket called Midland Grocers on Alfall Road, it was owned by the Bryant family. I worked there in the 70's. We knew a lot of customers by name. One day a customer who lived nearby asked if we would like to go round to her house and watch Princess Anne's wedding on her new colour tv, so we took it in turns to go! Looking at Street View from 2014 I am pleased to see that it is a supermarket once more (Costcutters).

Hi Slim, re Ireland's stationers Smithford Way, I started work there the day after my 15th birthday. A family owned business office equipment, pens Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, greetings cards, the whole gambit. I will always remember my first customer, "a box of paper clips please", of course I had no idea where they were. I asked Mr Radford the manager saying "this woman wants paper clips, Mr Everton". He whispered "this woman is a lady until we find out otherwise", a lesson I have never forgot. I also met my wife there so Ireland's holds many special memories for us both. The company was owned by the Smith family, although no big pay packets as the car factory lads, it was a great place to learn retail that led my wife and I to buy our own business in Wales. As a postscript the Smithford Way shopkeepers were a nice bunch. I was friends with John Orme, his dad owned the workwear shop. John and I started work at almost the same time. Adams the crockery shop. Ashers material shop who gifted us curtains as a wedding present. A tailor gave me a huge discount on my wedding suit, made to measure, three fittings, I've never had such a good suit since. Such good family run firms. The big boys can't compete on proper service, great times, thank you, A Ireland's stationers.

Hi dots - many memories in your post. I remember well all of the shops you mention, but there's other memories too. You see, for a couple of years we lived with my grandparents - when we all moved to another house, it was Jack Smith and his family who moved in. I remember they had a daughter, Elizabeth. Directly opposite was the Ormes' house - although John, like me, went to KHVIII, we were never particularly close friends. Eventually we had our own home on an adjacent plot, so I knew the Smiths and the Ormes for some years.

Telegraph article on "shops we have lost"

Thanks, mickw. Yes, I did see it but I would love to see Lynes' shop front when it was still trading!