Whether you loved it or loathed it, it's hard not to get at least a little misty-eyed at these fascinating photos of the St James Centre taken not long after it first opened.
Demolished in 2017, the post-war building, which has since been replaced by the £1bn St James Quarter development, was regularly held up as one of Edinburgh's most hated examples of architecture.
But while we'll admit it wasn't the prettiest, the St James was with us for the best part of half a century and it won't be forgotten in a hurry.
READ MORE: Seven classic Edinburgh shops your mum dragged you around back in the '90s
Always packed with shoppers, the Leith Street landmark boasted a massive retail offering and some of the best shops going in the capital's city centre. The sprawling complex comprised a covered shopping area, the Thistle Hotel, a car park and office development New St Andrew's House.
In these photographs by Capital Collections, which were taken in 1974 - just one year after the St James Centre officially opened, we catch a glimpse of the centre in its first few months of operation.
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Locals of a certain age will fondly recall the green plastic seating (which seemed so modern at the time) and shops such as Chelsea Girl and Radio Rentals. The covered shopping space even had large cylindrical bins capped with large ashtrays on top - it really was another world back then.
Click on the gallery link below to view the priceless photos and let us know in the comments your own memories of shopping at the St James Centre back in the day.
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