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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · 1d

A few alterations, but recognisable!

Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · 3d

Bet not many of these #Cambridge students realised that Gardenia's shopfront was installed for Lennards (shoe shop) by Pollards in the late 1920s. A tad altered, but recognisable - hope it isn't now swept away!

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

Bryan Roberts @bryanroberts72.bsky.social · 4d

Bit of Peckham Rye art deco. Former Holdron’s department store. Now a tremendous shop in its own right

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Matthew Mckeague @memckeague.bsky.social · 7d

What do we do with our former department stores? Well, Age Concern Southend has one answer that seems to be working. Heard some lovely stories tonight of the impact The Haven has had (4000 visitors a month!) & the wider benefit it's had on the high street. Inspirational stuff. @archhfund.org.uk

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Modernism in Metro-Land @modinmetro.bsky.social · 16d

This week we are exploring the Electricity Showroom, which appeared in the nation's high streets in the 30s, often in an art deco or modernist finish and looking to sell new fangled electrical and gas appliances. Read more in Power to the People www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/blog/power-t...

A black and white photograph of the Electricity offices for East Ham Borough

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · 25d

Lovely historic shops in Grand Hotel Buildings, #Eastbourne.

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pastpapers.bsky.social @pastpapers.bsky.social · 26d

Shopfront Friday - postcard of the Argenta Meat Company with a date of 1924

Argentina Meat Company employees outside their shop in a black and white postcard image with a St Helens photographer name at the bottom of the card

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

ambaile.org.uk @ambaile.org.uk · Sep 5

Dealbh-camara às an adhar de dh'Ospadal tùsail an Ràthaig Mhòir ann an Inbhir Nis. Cha robh anns an ospadal thùsail ach grunnan uàrdan air aon làr agus chaidh a' chiad euslainteach a thoirt a-steach air 5 An t-Sultain 1941

[neach-fiosrachaidh: Nurses League of Inverness Hospitals]

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

Past Glasgow @pastglasgow.co.uk · Sep 3

The C & A store at the corner of Sauchiehall and Cambridge Streets is brand new in this 1929 photograph. Designed by North, Robin & Wilsdon, and built in 1928, the successor firm of North Partners did the design work for the 1950s alterations.

📷 Glasgow City Archives

#Glasgow

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Past Glasgow @pastglasgow.co.uk · Sep 1

158-160 Argyle St, at Mitchell Lane, photographed in 1926. The fashion retailer Burton had been established in London in 1903, and by the time this was taken, had around 400 stores across the UK. Today you'd find slot machines rather than shirts at this location.

📷 City Archives

#Glasgow

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Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · Aug 27

New post this morning 27/8.

Review of @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social brilliant book Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street.

stirlingretail.com/2025/08/27/c...

Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street

“In a nutshell, Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street explores how multiple retailing has shaped the experience of shopping and the appearance of streets, throughout the British…

stirlingretail.com

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

Alistair Fair @alistairfair.bsky.social · Aug 25

Former Debenhams/Bon Marché store, Gloucester: the early 1960s part of the building very like the Festival Hall's original 1951 elevations, especially the small windows to the left which echo those which originally illuminated the RFH's side fire escape stairs.

The Past and other Places @pastandotherplaces.bsky.social · Aug 25

Things you can do with a former Debenhams store. #Gloucester #refurbishment #repurpose #architecture #university
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

📷 flic.kr/p/2pMdKcQ

Large former Debenhams store being refurbished as university buildings. Situated in a modern open square with a large tree and reflected in water created by fountain jets.

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

pastpapers.bsky.social @pastpapers.bsky.social · Aug 21

Selection of tiles from old shops in North Yorkshire

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Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison

EarthworkBec @earthworkbec.bsky.social · Aug 20

Have you seen this @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social ?

Some #UrbanPrehistory for chain stores - The Lost Stones of ASDA…

Stef North-Sagrott @archaeostef.bsky.social · Aug 19

One for @urbanprehistorian.bsky.social - I was reading this morning about the Asda 'Price Promise' stones that were erected across the country in the 90s

loststonesofasda.wordpress.com

Some are definitely on the way to being archaeological monuments, such as this one in Trumfleet, South Yorkshire

A stone that looks like a prehistoric standing stone but inscribed with "Asda Price Promise Permanently [text obscured] prices [text obscured].

The stone is by a Drystone wall and vegetation grows around it

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 20

Thought it was 1st April for a moment 🤣

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ambaile.org.uk @ambaile.org.uk · Aug 18

The corner of Kenneth Street and Church Street, #Stornoway, 1930s, with the staff of Bruce Brothers' Coal Merchants and the Ladies Hairdessing Saloon stainding outside their premises

[source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/18]

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Mary Oz @maryoz.bsky.social · Aug 16

Some nice #geometric #mosaic #tiles in the entrance to two small shops in Rhyl. @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · Aug 11

A long piece about 'Chain Stores' by Christopher Catling for the new edition of Current Archaeology - if you fancy a read!
the-past.com/feature/cath...

‘Cathedrals of commerce’ : A guide through the Golden Age of the British High Street | The Past

In her new book about High Street heritage, Kathryn Morrison takes us on a trip down memory lane and reminds us that design quality was once a proud part of ...

the-past.com

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Emily Cole @emilyvcole.bsky.social · Aug 10

A visit to a new place! Llanidloes, Powys, not far from Newtown. Very interesting as it seems so little changed architecturally. An amazing number of shops still trading - which was so wonderful to see!

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West Country Modernism @westcountrymodern.bsky.social · Aug 4

If anyone has £1.75m then I've just the 1930s and 1960s west country department store for you.

There's a 1938 Deco central bay on the frontage, with a subsequent major remodeling to fit with it in the 1960s.

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Former Taunton Debenhams building goes up for sale

The building, which shut as a store in 2021, is listed with a guide price of £1.75 million.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Leigh Sparks @sparksstirling.bsky.social · Jul 30

For any old retail shop people on here, the ex Melias store in Cardigan West Wales last week of July 2025

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Apollo @apollo-magazine.com · Jul 30

‘London was in his veins’: Gillian Darley pays tribute to the erudition, wit and open-mindedness of the architectural historian Andrew Saint, who has died at the age of 78.

‘London was in his veins’: Andrew Saint (1946–2025)

Gillian Darley remembers an architectural historian of great wit and erudition who was always keen to share his enthusiasms, which included a deep love of the capital

buff.ly

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Dr Lindsay Lennie @historicshopfronts.bsky.social · Jul 27

Sadly vacant but this early 20thC shopfront in St Andrews, Fife is still lovely with its delicate stained glass, decorative timber and mosaic entrance

Window pane with stained glass panels in shape of pink roses of Charles Rennie McIntosh style

Timber shopfront with letters saying M&Co. Think glazing bars and stained glass

Grey timber shopfront with large panes of glass and recessed entrance.

Shop mosaic entrance with cream and orange centre surrounded by swirling dark orange and blue patterns with stylised flowers

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · Jul 26

Some of the wonderful medieval sculpture we enjoyed on the #BAA Conference (in and around Leicester) this week. Bet you can identify them all!

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Kathryn A Morrison @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social · Jul 17

The saddest news. What a wonderful photograph of Andrew with Gavin.

Otto Saumarez Smith @osaumarezsmith.bsky.social · Jul 17

Very sad to hear about the death of Andrew Saint, pictured here giving huge architectural history energy with Gavin Stamp at the NT. His books all written with tremendous style across a terrific range of topics. Towards a Social Architecture, his superb history of post-war schools my favourite.

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