Chester Shop Closures-Part 4

frankp57By
Mar-12-2020
Memory Lane
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After racking my brain, or more specifically giving my head a wobble, I’ve come up with more Chester shop closures. Having concentrated on larger shops in my last post, this article is more focused on the smaller shops. Again, I’m sure I’d have missed a fair few, but these are the ones I remember. Oh, no clothes shop mentioned either as these have been covered in an earlier post.

So, Chester shop closures – Part 4. Let’s begin.

Chester Shop Closures

One that immediately springs to mind is an old favourite of mine. Up Northgate Street on the right hand side almost opposite the old Odeon cinema we used to have? Correct……Migrant Mouse.

What a record shop that was. Many an hour spent in there browsing and listening. I like to think my taste in music is quite eclectic. I do like a wide variety of musical types. It was a record from Migrant Mouse that got me into American band Journey.

Well, to be precise, it was actually my young bro’ Simon who got me into them. In the early 80’s Simon was a footballer who had a lot of spare time on his hands after the morning’s football training. He used to spend a lot of his afternoons listening to music in places like Migrant Mouse.

On occasions he would knock on my door (we lived across the road from each other) and just say, “have a listen to this.” So I would. One such album (remember those vinyl days folks?) was Escape by Journey. I played it and was immediately hooked.

I recall Simon also got me into Bon Jovi in that same way.

Anyway, a great shop sadly no longer with us. What other Chester shop closures do we recall?

Chester Shop Closures – More Record Shops

Chester Shop Closures-Penny Lane Foregate Street

Still on the record shop theme, what about Penny Lane Records. Another great independent, small record shop. Based on Foregate Street opposite the old ABC cinema in an oldy, worldie looking half black and white small narrow building, it was similar to Migrant Mouse in a way as the main vinyl focus was rock bands more prominently.

I seem to recall there were also a whole load of posters on display and 7″ vinyls hanging on the walls. Another great record shop though.

Shame that those two are no longer with us.

I’m going to be a bit vague again I’m afraid. Anyone know the name of the record shop that was in the Precinct. Nearer to the escalator end of the Precinct. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of it. I do remember buying a Jackson 5 (who? some will be saying) vinyl album in there for £2.50.

Although not a shop as such, who remembers the record section in Browns? You could pop into there, go along into a booth and listen to a few albums before you bought. Excellent stuff. And, there was a record section in Millets in Northgate Street. Also, W.H. Smiths had a record section when it was only the one floor, right at the back up a couple of steps.

Great memories of the record shops no longer with us.

Chester Shop Closures – What Else Springs To Mind?

Moving on from record shops let’s have a ponder and try to recall more Chester shop closures.

Bricklands and MacFisheries jumped into my head for some reason. Why particularly I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because I’m having Mackerel for lunch!!

Bricklands in Pepper Street and MacFisheries in the Forum. I loved the smell when walking past a fish shop with all the fabulous aromas of fresh fish permeating out.

What else? Of course there was a fair amount of shops that closed in Mercia Square. Funny how Mercia Square is often mentioned. Clearly it’s still well fondly remembered. Not really sure why it was knocked down.

Mercia Square shops and salons like the Tartan Shop, Simon Boyd, Army and Navy Stores and Zig Zag to name just a few.

Chester Shop Closures – And There’s More

Fairly recently there was an excellent Polish glassware shop that used to be based in the Precinct then subsequently in Bridge Street. Some great birthday and Christmas pressies available in there for my sisters.

Bizarre, originally in Lower Bridge Street, then latterly in St Werburgh Street opposite the Cathedral. Bizarre was a mainstay for so many years. I’m not sure how many but you’d think at least 30 years.

Hacks sports shop in the Arcade(?) – ( is that what the area of the row of shops is called as you approach the Precinct from the Bridge Street steps?). And what was the toy shop called a few doors down from Hacks?

They had a downstairs as well. As a real young lad I used to longingly look in the window and in the bottom left hand corner there used to be a Shell Oil Tanker sat there on its box. I dropped so many hints to my Mum. But……huge sigh……I didn’t get it. Not to worry.

Strange how certain memories stay with you. My everlasting memory of that shop even when I was much older was that Shell Oil Tanker. Although I didn’t get the one I wanted as a young lad, did I ever eventually get one? In fact I did. One of my sisters got me a miniature one for my birthday a few years ago.

Chester Sports on the way into Tescos in Frodsham Street. Tucked away in the right hand corner. I bought my first Squash racquet from there.

Opposite the entrance to Tescos the legendary Dave Millar Cycle Shop. It seemed to be there for ever. It must have been there for at least 40+ years. Not Chester city centre but another long well established cycle shop no longer with us – Morgans Bike Shop in Top Saltney.

Others to contemplate – Sail and Ski in Pepper Street and also, the iconic Fancy Dress shop in Brook Street (I can’t remember what it was called but it was there for yonks!!).

Chester Shop Closures – Check These Links

Some time ago I wrote specifically about two well established shops sadly closing. One has been with us since 1770. Wow, that’s incredible. I did write about this institution separately a couple of years ago. The shop I’m referring to is Lowe’s – the very popular jewellers shop in spectacular premises on Bridge Street Row.

I originally wrote about Lowe’s closure HERE in my article entitled “Farewell To A Chester Institution”

That was then but the great news, Lowe’s has reopened. Brilliant stuff.

Another long well established shop that could well fall into the “Chester Institution” category is Toycraft. It was located in Watergate Street on the left hand side and was a main feature in Chester city centre for more than 50 years. You can read more about one of the really sad Chester shop closures HERE.

I think I’ve covered a fair bit there. If I can recall any more I’ll add to the list in due course. But for now, I think that’s it. Thanks for reading and thanks again for visiting my website. Much appreciated.