Depending on how old you are, there are certain shops that bring back happy memories of Christmas as a child. Whether it's Toys R Us, Woolworths or the Co-op. Many of us will remember heading into the city to soak up the atmosphere at Christmas time. Whether it was to visit Santa at the Co-op or the Broadmarsh, or to just gaze at at the fascinating window displays and enjoying something to eat with our nearest and dearest.
Here we've had a look at some of the stores that make us feel most nostalgic. Let us know which shops most remind you of Christmas as a child in the comment below.
Many will remember visits to Toys R Us as the retailer was a popular mainstay for a number of years. The chain collapsed four years ago, with stores across the country closing. For many it had been a beloved mainstay since the 80s, where you might get to visit if you were lucky enough for peruse the vast range of toys and other items on the shelves.
READ MORE: A trip on one of Nottingham's busiest bus route where 19,000 people per month hop on board
Before the days of online shopping, we would all rush to stores like Toys R Us for the latest products. And if there was enough demand, stores would open at midnight to cope. The Post reported in 1999 that the Toys 'R' Us in Queens Drive opened at midnight on Thursday to launch the new Star Wars toys. And in 1997, youngsters were all rushing to Toys R Us to get their hands on craze - Tamagotchi electronic pets.
The Co-op on Upper Parliament Street is one example of department stores that left Nottingham where items such as toys, clothing and food could all be picked up in one shopping trip. The building was opened in 1916, the flagship of Nottingham Co-operative Society and closed in 2001. It was always the best place to visit Santa in his grotto. For generations of Nottingham children, the Santa's grotto at the Co-op was one of the features of the Christmas.
Woolworths closed in 2008 after many years as a UK high street mainstay. The much-loved Woolworths store in Nottingham’s Victoria Centre shut up shop after the firm went into administration in 2008 after initially opening its first branch in the city in Lister Gate way back in 1914. Who can forget the pick 'n' mix and going to buy a new tape from Woolies. The iconic store had aisles full of affordable items that had no real business being stacked together.
Many will have fond memories from the Broadmarsh Centre, particularly of the much-loved animal entertainment within the centre. From a wooden grasshopper to an acrobatic toy chimp. Children would marvel at Charlie the Chimp, the famous mechanical ape in the window of Gordon Scott's shoe shop. And kids of the 70s hand 80s, remember crawling through the big wooden grasshopper in the shopping centre.
Anyone who was young in the 90s will remember the range of stores we had to satisfy our fashion aspirations. Long before we had Primark, we had C&A and Mark One.
READ MORE:
