Woolworths shut its last Greater Manchester stores in January 2009, bringing an end to a 99-year high street presence in the UK. The chain, founded in 1879 in Utica, New York, by Frank Winfield Woolworth, began as a low-cost, fixed-price general merchandise retailer where shoppers could browse shelves without asking a clerk for assistance.
From Liverpool to Manchester
The first UK store opened in Liverpool in 1909, sparing northerners a trip to London for bargains. Manchester's first Woolworths opened on Oldham Street in 1910, becoming the fourth in the country. By the late 1960s, Woolworths stores could be found in towns across the UK.
Swarms of shoppers descended on the corner of Oldham Street and Piccadilly in Manchester every weekend. However, a tragic fire broke out on May 8, 1979, claiming the lives of nine shoppers and one member of staff. The blaze eventually led to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 being established. The Oldham Street/Piccadilly branch initially reopened but closed for good on June 28, 1986.
The Final Days
Despite the tragedy, Greater Manchester's relationship with Woolies continued for another two decades, with shoppers in south Manchester, Salford and Stockport enjoying the store's range of DVDs, clothes, toys, school supplies and snacks. The beginning of the end came in 2008 when, just three weeks after Robert McDonald was appointed finance director, the company fell into administration in November 2008. With the financial crisis accelerating its downfall, Woolworths was said to be in massive debts of around £385m.
More than 800 stores closed and around 27,000 jobs were lost. Reflecting on the collapse in 2024, Mr McDonald said: "Like everyone my age, I had grown up thinking its existence was a normal part of life. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to work there. I knew it was going through hard times and looked forward to being able to help. But, sadly, it was past that by the time I joined, and the end seemed very swift."
Farewell to a High Street Titan
On the day Woolworths closed, only three high street branches remained in Greater Manchester. Members of the public took their own trollies to the 'everything must go' clearance and paid their respects. A Manchester Evening News reporter visited the store in Northenden, where a collection bucket for staff sat on the counter.
Shopper Andrew Flynn from Northern Moor took home two shopping baskets as souvenirs. He said: "It is terrible that this store is closing. If people had shopped there before then it would have stayed open. I always thought Woolworths was fairly priced, even when it was selling everything at full price. I've grown up with Woolies. I took home two baskets. One for me and one for my mum. They're part of my childhood. The staff at Woolworths are really friendly. I feel sorry for them."
Elizabeth Bocarro from Northenden stated: "This shop has been here for years and years. I remember coming here when I was a child and it had wooden floors. I lived in Withington at the time and I came here on a day trip when I was about seven. It's an all-round shop, a place where you can get anything. Everything seems to be changing these days. The world has gone mad."
Brenda Marsoomi from Northenden noted: "I will miss Woolies. Most people go to places like the Trafford Centre to do their shopping these days but when I was growing up we went to the shops on the high street. You could get what you needed."
Legacy and Loss
Since 2009, more and more shops have bid farewell to Manchester and the rest of the UK. JJB, Topshop and Wilko are just some of the other chains that suffered a similar fate to Woolies. With HMV closing its flagship Oxford Street store three years after opening it, the pleasure of roaming stores should never be taken for granted. It may be wishful thinking, but maybe one day Woolworths will rise from the dead. Until then, all we have are memories.
