Shoppers in Llanelli have been rolling back the years and remembering their favourite home furnishing store.
Pugh Brothers at one time dominated the town’s Cowell Street and shoppers would fit their properties out with all its wares.
They have been looking back at the era and have fond memories of snapping up everything from Paddington bears to bedroom suites to top quality carpets to Peter Rabbit teddy bears.
Others revealed every rug in the house was bought from the stunning store.
The family-run store was loved by everyone and people still remember the smell of leather as they stepped through the front door.
Some still have the furniture pride of place in the heart of their homes.
The store first threw open its doors in 1894 on Station Road, under William Pugh and then it moved to 19-21 Cowell Street around 1906 before it expanded and took over numbers 17-23 as the business took off.
Pugh Brothers also opened a workroom on Market Street, where carpets and curtains were made and a warehouse on Princess Street where all the stock would be housed.
Sandra Rowe said she had fond memories of the store and added: “Pugh Bros gone but never forgotten.”
The day the doors closed in 2005 Llanelli lost more than half a century of tradition and history when the town’s oldest store closed.
Rhi Mask said: “I miss this place, childhood memories. I would always get excited to go in with my mother on a shopping afternoon.”
Mag Ney said she would always make a beeline for the store and added: “I bought Paddington Bear in the 70s from Pugh’s and many other things, a fabulous store.”
Some made sure that every baby born into the family was bought a toy from the store and others have been reminiscing on how the store sparkled over the festive season.
David Mason, of Llanelli, said: “I loved the Christmas window displays.”
Many said the store really changed the character of Llanelli and really made it a place to go.
It was a world away from how the town centre appears to be like today.
Anne Irene Perkins said: “Absolutely beautiful but they ruined it for me Llanelli was a great place to grow up in.
“The old days when I was growing up but now it gone there nothing like it used to be when I was growing up we used to walk there all the time.”
Huw Davies, of Llanelli, said the shop really helped to define the town.
He said: “A shop in an era when the town had class.”
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