Welcome to the Original Virtual Museum - celebrating Woolworths' century at the heart of British High Street Shopping
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please click a menu button Original Virtual Museum Home Page please click a menu button The Woolworth value store concept is born in the USA please click a menu button Laying the foundations as the first British Woolworth store opens in Liverpool in November 1909 please click a menu button Woolworths rapidly open forty-four stores in Britain and Ireland before facing a World War please click a menu button Bigger, brighter and bolder Woolworth stores in the Roaring Twenties please click a menu button Woolworths go to amazing lengths to keep all prices under sixpence in the Thirties please click a menu button Bravery and defiance during World War II in Woolworths' finest hour. We pay tribute to the sacrifices made and look behind the scenes please click a menu button Redefining the Woolworth brand for modern times in the 1950s, as prices go up and stores get bigger and bigger please click a menu button Superstores in and out of town, a new own brand and the opening of overseas Commonwealth stores during the 1960s please click a menu button Woolworth struggles to keep up during the rapid inflation and change of the 1970s please click a menu button Woolworth stores in more recent times, covering the period 1980-2008 please click a menu button
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Background to the Original Virtual Museum and copyright information about the contents Origins of the firm's legendary pic'n'mix and a century of chocolate, candy and confectionery in the High Street A century of music and entertainment in the High Street from sheet music and gramophone records to CDs and blu-ray discs A century of toys, games and fun in the High Street stores of F. W. Woolworth A century of fashion in the High Street, from paper patterns and sixpenny knickers to an extensive range of award-winning Ladybird clothing A century of cards, pens, pads and books from the shelves of F. W. Woolworth stores Pots and pans, paint and brushes, bulbs and compost and even toiletries - all in High Street Woolworth stores for much of the twentieth century Woolworths pioneered Christmas decorations in the 19th century and supplied presents for our parents, grandparents and great grandparents from their High Street stores Working conditions and pay rates at Woolworths over a hundred years and some of the people behind the brand-name Our cinema, quiz and picture gallery features Visit the new look 21st century Woolworths on line, on the site operated by Shop Direct Group
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'Here we grow again' - a new Woolworth's every seventeen days

 

Every day during the 1920s nomination letters were received at the Woolworth's headquarters in London, suggesting a town where the chain should open. Company bosses were keen to oblige and accelerated their expansion plans. They set ambitious targets for their teams of Construction Workers and paid generous bonus if they were achieved.

Like a well-oiled machine, the in-house gangs of bricklayers, plasterers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters and shopfitters could transform a brown-field site into a new F. W. Woolworth store in under seven weeks. Most builds followed the same basic design, adapted to suit the site. But sometimes the Architects expected something altogether more elaborate, to blend in with the streetscapes of historic towns and cities. On this page we show some of the finer stores opened during the Roaring Twenties.

 

The flagship Woolworth store in Scotland in Princes Street, Edinburgh, which opened in 1926F. W. Woolworth in Terminus Road, Eastbourne, which opened in 1924

^Terminus Road, Eastbourne, Sussex (No. 172 - 1924)
Princess Street, Edinburgh (No. 213 - opened 1926) >

 

The F. W. Woolworth store in St. James's Street, Burnley, Lancashire, which opened in 1924The F. W. Woolworth store in Spurriergate, York, which opened in 1924. The building was sold for redevelopment in the early 2000s

^Spurriergate, York (No. 171, 1924)
St James's Street, Burnley, Lancs (No. 160, 1924) >

A long view of the F. W. Woolworth store in High Street, Lincoln, with the Cathedral in the backgroundA close up ofo the F. W. Woolworth store in High Street, Lincoln (No. 156), adjacent to the Stonebow
<^ Company bosses found they had to adapt the standard Woolworth look if they were to get permission to build in locations like Lincoln's Stonebow (No. 156, 1924)

 

Weymouth in Devon (No. 139) and Kensington High Street in West London (No. 162) , which opened in 1923 and 1924 respectively

 

During the Twenties the firm settled on an ornate portland stone exterior for the premier stores. It was nicknamed the "cinema front".
On the left, above, the team from Weymouth, Dorset are assembled on the pavement outside their new store, which opened in 1923.
The picture on the right, above, shows the imposing frontage of the flagship branch in London's Kensington High Street in 1924.

 

Opening announcement for the new store at Redhill Surrey (No 164) in 1924Opening advertisement for the High Street, Uxbridge, Woolworth store (No. 370) in 1929


The arrival of a new red front was always a spectacular affair. The celebrations featured orchestras or a marching band, fireworks and even circus performers. Most fronts were draped with flags and bunting to add to the razzamatazz. Bosses knew that a big launch would draw a huge crowd, and that many of the day's visitors would later add a trip to the new FWW to their regular shopping habits.

 

The firm also laid on extra bargains specially for the opening day. The goal was to supply enough stock to last through until the end of the first weekend of trading. Among the favourite 'specials' in the Twenties were large enamel or stainless steel bath tubs, preserving pans for jam-making or nine carat genuine gold rings. Each wasl offered for sixpence. Customers were only allowed one each. There was also a special selection of sweets for a penny. Miniature postcards of music promoting the record department were given away freely.

 

Shortcuts to other exhibits in the Original Virtual Museum

1920s overview   In praise of the Property Department    Visit a 1920s store   An opening every 17 days

Supplier partnerships and product development   Woolies' first gramophone records   Woolworths in the community

Alice White stars in "The Girl from Woolworths"   Sixpenny pops "We will have a Woolworth Wedding"

50th birthday of the American Woolworth   The sincerest form of flattery   FWW GmbH

Museum Navigation

Home Page    1910s Gallery    1920s Gallery   1930s Gallery   Woolies at War

 
If you have enjoyed our Virtual Museum website, why not check out our complete history of Woolworths in a 194 page, richly illustrated paperback book? A Sixpenny Romance is just £10.99, with free delivery in our on-line shop.
The special DVD, the Wonder of Advertising, is now available in our on-line shop for £7.50 with free delivery. A fully illustrated 194 page history of Woolworths, or a selection of professionally authored DVDs in our on-line shop