Plymouth’s high street was once home to a plethora of iconic shops, from the Disney Store to the universally adored Woolworths. However, for various reasons, many of these cherished stores have disappeared.
So, what became of these shops and what has replaced them?
Whether you’re feeling nostalgic or simply curious, join us as we delve into Plymouth’s retail history.
Let us know if there are any legendary stores you remember that we’ve missed by commenting below.
The surf shop situated beneath the Moneycentre in Plymouth shuttered its doors back in May 2019.
Mango Surfing, which had been operating for two-and-a-half years at the location, cited several reasons for its closure when speaking to PlymouthLive.
The independent clothing and surfing retailer pointed to issues such as non-locals using the shopfront “as a toilet”, frequent parking fines, and the broader decline of the high street.
At the time, Joe from Mango Surfing remarked: “The funny thing with Plymouth is a lot of our Plymouth customers shop online. We would hope our Plymouth customers will continue to shop online.
“The high street is just dying in Plymouth. The people who were using the shop as shelter and a toilet were not representative of the people of Plymouth.”
(Image: Penny Cross)Woolworths, a beloved retail giant that once graced our high streets, is fondly remembered by many for its vast array of products. From books and films to posters, garden supplies, and even a children’s play area, Woolworths had it all.
Notably, it boasted an impressive pick and mix station, a veritable paradise for any child.
The New George Street store was a staple in Plymouth for 58 years, but sadly, like all 807 Woolworths stores across the country, it closed its doors in January 2009. This marked the end of an era and resulted in the loss of 27,000 jobs nationwide, leaving shoppers disheartened.
Since then, no other store has quite managed to fill the void left by Woolworths.
Today, Poundland occupies the space where Woolworths once stood, offering a wide range of products just as its predecessor did.
Another big loss was the beloved Disney store. With a huge round pit full of Disney characters bought to life as enormous toys set in front of a giant screen playing all your favourite Disney scenes, this place was heaven for any Disney lover.
The store, on the edge of New George Street and Armada Way shut in 2013, with the toy retailer saying it closed “following the expiration of lease and negotiations with the landlord.”
The unit was re-occupied in 2016 by the biggest ever expanding Costa Coffee outlets in Plymouth. Although we can’t complain about delicious hot drinks and food, it would be great to have the Disney Store back.
(Image: Amy Stanford)Very similar to Sports Direct and JD, JJB was based at the ‘bottom end of town’ and was actually connected to Derry’s department store. Selling everything from Tracksuits, football boots and tennis rackets – JJB had it all.
The old Derry’s Department Store is now student accommodation and opened in 2021 after a two-year delay due to the pandemic.
In March 2018, Toys R Us closed for the final time. The Plymouth store, in Western Approach, was every child’s magical place with hundreds of toys stacked the shelves – it was dreamy.
Sadly, the company ended business in the city after 30 years of trading, as it was announced that all British stores would shut after the company struggled to balance debts.
The building is now used as a retail space for the British Heart Foundation and St Luke’s Hospice. The Toys R Us sign is also still up as a daily reminder of what we once had.
Later, with games consoles to play on, music to listen to and friends to meet, this was still the ultimate meeting place (with an endless supply of entertainment).
Barclays Bank now stands in its place.
Just up from the Virgin Megastore was British Home Stores. It was once was a thriving department store in the heart of Plymouth but closed its doors five years ago after going into liquidation.
All 163 branches closed, including Plymouth’s, with the loss of 11,000 jobs. The building has stood empty for years, but in 2020 was finally used for an immense German donner kebab shop.
Speaking to PlymouthLive previously, chief executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, Steve Hughes said the arrival would be a major boost to Plymouth.
“We at the Plymouth City Centre Company are delighted the BHS store will be brought back into use,” he said, “this is a huge vote of confidence in the city centre.”
(Image: PCross)This was the place to go as a child, and getting to help stuff your own bear was a childhood highlight. But the cuddly toy emporium shut its Drake Circus branch at the end of August 2019 when its lease with landlord British Land expired.
The store went out with an ursine bang, offering 50% off stock and causing a rush of bargain-bear-hunting customers. Other UK stores closed too and the American-based firm announced a culling of outlets in its homeland as 40% was wiped off the company’s value in 2019. Foot Locker had now moved into the unit soon after.