The other day I read something that mentioned Tammy Girl, a clothes shop from my youth I hadn’t thought about in YEARS. It’s safe to say that the memories came flooding back.
As someone who became a teenager in the Summer of ’85, I could remember exactly what the shop interior was like: a hub of bright 80s colours and punchy graphics, filled with teen versions of what I’d seen my favourite artists wearing on Top of the Pops on Thursday night. I always wanted all the items I ever saw in there which were, of course, just about as 80s as you could get. If memory serves, it was attached to Etam, the grown-up version of the same store.
And if you didn’t buy something new from Tammy Girl to wear to the school disco (like a ra-ra skirt or white stilettoes), then who even WERE you?!
It got me thinking: what other clothes and shoe shops from my youth had I not thought about in 20 or 30 years? Those that aren’t around anymore, that either drifted away or went out with a bang (like Debenhams has recently done)?
[Reading time: 4 mins]
After some extensive research*, I bring you my list of now-defunct clothes and shoe shops that I knew in my youth (i.e. mostly the 1980s, but a few that I frequented in my 20s in the 1990s).
*read as: I Googled “closed shops in the UK”, found the relevant Wikipedia page, made note of shops I knew/remembered.
These are shops that were in the UK, so apologies for the UK-centric nature of this post… however the comments should be not only for Brits to talk about those mentioned in my list (and add their own) but ALSO for those outside the UK to list their own shops of the past for others to get all nostalgic over.
(So don’t forget to put which country you’re talking about when commenting!)
Btw I have found out some of the listed ones below still operate in other countries, so let me know if any of these are open where you are. Some got swallowed by other brands so might still have an online presence or operate within department stores, but the ones I’ve listed have definitely disappeared from the British high street.
I SO want to know which ones you remember and what memories you have of these – or any others!
18 clothes and shoe shops now closed in the UK (with the date of their demise)
Barratts Shoes (2013)
Bay Trading Company (2009)
C&A (2001)
Perhaps the most nostalgic of them all, C&A in Reading, Berkshire (where I grew up) was a mecca of clothes and accessories, but it was always just a little bit uncool. I can remember the massive entrance and the very dim lighting (did it have black walls?!) and being in there with my mum, wishing I were shopping with my friends instead. It was, however, a shop that was grown-up and, er, ‘tranquil’ enough for my mum to go into with me.
No loud Kim Wilde or Thompson Twins tracks blasting out to offend her eardrums in there, ohhh noooo.
Chelsea Girl (1991)
The coolest shop on this list (IMHO), Chelsea Girl was where I wanted to get ALL my clothes. I seem to remember that when Chelsea Girl closed down it became River Island, but the former will always have a place in my heart.
Dolcis (2008)
And like Chelsea Girl, Dolcis was the coolest shoe shop. This was the shop that sold the white, low stiletto heels that my mum FINALLY agreed to buy for me. I wore them to my (I think) 13th birthday party in 1985 and oh GOD did I feel the flippin’ bee’s knees in those shoes. Thank you for the memories and those heels, Dolcis.
Etam (2005)
The grown-up version of Tammy Girl – for some reason it makes me think that that’s where the girls in The Human League and Pepsi & Shirlie would have shopped. Too clean and safe for Bananarama though (pre-Live Aid days when they were all dungarees and check shirts).
Faith Shoes (2010)
Freeman Hardy & Willis (1997)
OMG remember FHW?!!!!
Kookai (2013)
A shop I frequented in the 90s when I worked on the King’s Road in Chelsea. I seem to remember everything being TINY, skintight and/or cropped.
Lilley & Skinner (2008)
Littlewoods (2005)
I was dragged here by my mum, mostly to get things like pants and socks and nightwear. NOT a shop where you wanted to bump into anyone you knew.
Morgan (2008)
See Kookai, above. I do remember buying a tight, colour-block stripe faux-leather cropped top from Morgan (in black/tan/white blocks) that I used to wear with beige cargo pants and white platform Spice Girls-style trainers during my full-on clubbing days in the 90s. Oh, those were the [abs-out] days…
Naf Naf (c. 1990s)
Saxone (1997)
Another shoe shop my school shoes came from, what joy.
Snob (c. 1980s)
Wow, now THERE’S a shop I hadn’t thought about probably since they closed. I only have a vague recollection of Snob… can anyone shed any light on what it was like? I’m sure I shopped in there at some point.
Stead & Simpson (2008)
Tammy Girl (2005)
Ah, Tammy Girl. See my ramblings, above.
Tie Rack (2013)
Another shop that’s made me go, Oh yeah whatever happened to Tie Rack, they just sort of disappeared with no one noticing, didn’t they…?
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Finally: some brands I didn’t know still existed…
Whilst looking up defunct brands, I found that there are some shops still operating that I honestly thought had died a death a long time ago. I do live in the Westcountry and so we have a lot fewer shops than, say, London or Manchester, but for example – Benetton?! The huge store they had at Oxford Circus went a loooooong time ago, but have you EVER seen any sort of social media presence from Benetton? Influencers wearing/mentioning Benetton in their posts? Is it just ME that’s completely missed what Benetton have been up to since Naked Newborn-gate?
So not only Benetton, but also…
Bally Shoes
“Bally Shoes” makes me think of shoes my mum used to buy in the 70s… they’re still going? Really?!
Ghost
Always too expensive for me in my 20s, but I thought this was a label that had disappeared long ago. ANYWAY I’ve just looked them up and they’re now not as expensive [to me] as they used to be… they actually have some really lovely pieces. Who knew?! (Not me, obviously.)
Nine West
I’m sure I really liked this brand in the 00s, but haven’t seen anything from them or heard them mentioned in absolutely ages.
Sock Shop
Thought it had died a death with Tie Rack, to be honest.
Wallis
A brand that I used to check out for my shop-floor “uniform” when I worked in retail (because I saw it as grown-up), I haven’t thought about – or seen – Wallis in so long I was surprised to see their name on the current list of clothing and footwear shops in the UK on Wikipedia. Well, whaddya know.
Which of these shops do you remember – and what do you want to add to the list that I’ve maybe left off? DON’T FORGET to say what country you’re in for others to refer to…!
Stay safe XOXO
Linking up to… Monday: Stylish Monday, Inspire Me Monday, My Glittery Heart, On Mondays We Link Up || Tuesday: Style With a Smile, Trend Spin/Walking in Memphis in High Heels, Turning Heads Tuesday, Spread the Kindness, Confident Twosday, Happy Now Blog Link Up || Wednesday: WowOnWednesday || Thursday: Chic & Stylish, Ageless Style Linkup (third Thursday of the month), || Friday: Neverending Style, Fancy Friday, On the Edge, Fabulous Friday’s Link Up
I remember Snob….in Uxbridge High St. I used to shop a lot there in my clubbing days in the 90s….I recall getting these chiffony blouses with big ruffles down the front…I should see if Ive got them at the back of my wardrobe somewhere. I thought I looked the bees knees at Regals in the good old days
Author
Hehe Helene I’m assuming Regals was your nightclub back then? Mine was The Majestic in Reading back in the day – in fact in even featured in a Ricky Gervais film (Cemetery Junction) based around growing up in Reading in the 70s… they even went to The Majestic, lol!
Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane, Snob is vague for me – how amazing that you think you might have something from there at the back of your wardrobe?!!! x
In the early 70s I lived in a flat above Snob in Brighton, Western Road. I loved going in to have a look. Chelsea Girl was across the road – Brilliant!
And all the shoe shops, now sadly disappeared.
Hi Catherine, I found this post through your other post on wedding hats. (Very helpful thanks!!)
And was pleasantly surprised to hear you grew up where I did, in Reading, Berkshire.
I’m a little older though, I left for college in London in 1978, but have family back there, and visit regularly.
There were so many shoe shops on Broad street then, you’ve listed most of them, and they were largely run by the same parent company (except for Milwards, which was independent) I had a Saturday job at Dolcis when I was 16, I got my first platform shoes from there. I also clearly remember shopping at that, (yes very dark) C&A. My mum took me shopping there a few times and literally forced me to get the “sensible coat” rather than the slightly more fashionable one I had my eye on.
Do you remember the communal changing room at Top Shop?, which was such an awful place, it always felt like I was on show, trying to squeeze into the one size too small jeans or whatever.
I don’t know if you remember the Platters coffee shop, or the little one on the Harris arcade? those were always my destination after a Saturday afternoon braving the Reading crowds.
I’m visiting Reading this summer and looking forward to it. I live in LA now, and haven’t been able to get back since the beginning of 2020.
Author
Ohhhh hello fellow Reading person, Tina! (you didn’t put your real name so I’ll call you Tina if that’s okay 😉 )
My Saturday job was in the old Debenhams, the Wedgwood concession… I used to spend my lunchtimes in Forbury Gardens with my friends (at least in the summer), did you do the same ever?!
I don’t really remember the changing rooms in Topshop or the coffee shops I’m afraid, but then a lot of things I’ve forgotten I then get reminded of by my mum or my sister or an old friend. I remember Dolcis VERY well, maybe we met back when you were working there – who knows!! Thanks so much for your lovely comment and the trip down memory lane 😀
Snob was the bit between Tammy and Etam competing with Bay Trading etc but in the late 90s, Etam swallowed Snob up and Etam’s range became younger in style. They still have it in the EU and Middle East but only underwear and swimwear. Talking of which, in Qatar Debenhams and BHS still exist!
We still have C&A in France can still find some good stuff if you look carefully.
Author
I’m still amazed you still have C&A on the continent, Flora! How fabulous 😀
We still have Kookai in Australia… still small and skimpy too. Nine West is solod as part of a larger shoe franchise.
Is Monsoon still around? I worked for the owners as a nanny in the 80s and coveted everything they made, but couldnt afford it. Reckon I would still covet it…. 🙂
Author
That’s so funny that Kookai is still pretty much the same, Sanja!
Monsoon is very much still around on the high street. I never used to be able to afford it either but now the prices aren’t as expensive as some brands, I guess it’s more relative to our spending power as we age! x
Wow! What a fab post. I remember all of these. Work for FHW on a Saturday (when I was 16 – first job) – felt very grown up then. I also remember buying clothes in SNOB and having the Big Snob Bag, they also had really cool changing cubicles round the edge which had western style swing doors ( I was always worried someone would see me changing in them!! Lol) Dolcis and Saxone for school shoes. Oh and Morgan, I loved the tight little tops they sold. What a trip down memory land Catherine – thank you. Oh btw I still buy stuff in Wallis, well they are online now. Have a super weekend lovely. Jacqui x
I’ve just remember another store – Lady at Lord John. I got my engagement dress from there. Cerise pink and white, cowl back with a big white sash tied on the hips. God I loved that dress. 3> xx
Author
Wow Jacqui, someone who remembers Snob!! Now you say Big Snob Bag that sort of rings a bell…!
My first Saturday job was in Debenhams, and now that’s gone the way of FHW too… I wonder how many more will have gone by the end of the decade? Thanks for sharing your memories!! x
A little late to this thread, but I had to comment as I randomly had a throwback thought to Snob this evening when I walked past what was the old store in Norwich, with it’s little circular windows. Although I was a wee bit young I still remember window shopping there as a 13 year old with not enough pocket money.….I recall a lot of black jersey stretch clothing with white polka dots! It’s now a Pret 🙁 and opposite was THE teenage meeting point and hub Topshop, all shuttered up and vacant. It’s just all so…tragic.
That list was a blast from the past! I bought a cord skirt from C&A in Madeira a couple of years ago – the store was very much like I remember in the UK years ago (in other words rather basic!). I didn’t know Faith had stopped trading though. Since moving away from a big city I do most of my shopping online or in charity shops. I still have a couple of pairs of Saxone shoes that my mum bought in the 80s! Thanks for linking up!
Emma xxx
Author
Glad you liked the post Emma… isn’t it funny how there are so many that make you go, OMG REMEMBER…?!! Freeman Hardy & Willis was the one for me, I’d honestly completely forgotten all about them. Plus it must be weird to go into a C&A now, how odd that they shut here but not on the Continent?!
We still have C&A here in Portugal and there is one pretty close to where I live. I buy stuff from them every now and again, in fact I’ve just bought a really good quality pair of jeans from there (someone above mentioned that the quality isn’t great but I disagree). I bought some summer dresses in there too this year.
We’ve also still got Morgan here but I don’t go in very often because the sizing always seems quite small, and it’s fairly expensive.
There’s a Benetton Outlet store in the Algarve which is quite handy for plain woolly jumpers—I’ve got three so far!
I remember many of the other shops you mentioned too. Remember BHS? It was a bit of a fuddy duddy store (I think that’s what we called it back then), but it was handy for knickers, socks and slippers lol!!
Great post, Catherine! I real blast from the past!
Suzy x
Love the nostalgia. I didn’t realise some of these brands didn’t exist anymore!
Author
I was surprised by some of them too, Angie! x
I remember most of these! There are a few I didn’t realise had closed down though!
Author
Same, Suzi – though I think I was actually more shocked by the ones that ARE still going (like Benetton!!)
I just mentioned these to my mum and you should have seen how excited she was!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Author
Hehe I was the same when reminded of my faves, Danielle! 😉
In the United States, we used to have Merry Go Round, 5 7 9 Shop, Foxmore, Paul Harris, Jean Nicole–bought a pair of white pants with suspenders there in like ’81–hahaha!, I LOVED to shop them all! We still have Nine West going strong in the States, at least online, and in some Macy’s stores.
Author
It’ll be interesting to see if anyone remembers these, Annie!
I have a feeling Nine West is still available online here too, but their online presence is almost nil… weird how that’s the measure these days?!
I think it’s thirty years since the release of Nevermind. As I looked through the wardrobe for a warmer top, my hand feel on my C&A plaid shirt. Does that class as vintage now? 🙂
Did we grungers do our feet a favour with army boots and DMs in our younger days? 🙂
Do you think we’ll see a loss of fast fashion chains if the youth market shifts as suggested by the media?
Author
Definitely vintage, Lynn – like they say 100 years for an antique, the definition of vintage is 30 years+. So the fact that clothes I wore in the 90s are starting to fit the “vintage” label is unbelievable…!
And YES to the comfy feet thing, I would never have dreamed of wearing heels, LOL
I truly hope that we’ll see a shift away from fast fashion as you say, but all the time that influencers are encouraged to wearing a new damn fast fashion outfit every day on the Gram every day it’ll never happen… it doesn’t help that many, many women MY age are still wearing their new stuff from Primark and H&M like there’s no tomorrow. I find it shameful 🙁
I remember Richard Shops, Dolcis et al. But Ravel was my favourite shoe shop. My sister worked there for a while and bought me the most beautiful knee high red boots when I was 7 in 1973. How I wish I had boots like those now!!!
Author
Oh my – knee-high red boots in 1973 sound like Wonder Woman boots, Norah – aaaaaaaargh I can only imagine how incredible they were!!
You can still get Kookai in New Zealand. Fabulous, current clothes. The only person I know who “lives” in Kookai, is very slim, so I don’t know if that’s still a requirement for their gear.
Author
I think it absolutely IS a requirement, Ratnamurti – sounds like they haven’t changed in 30 years?!! At the time I was very slender (in my 20s) and everything in there was as tight as.
I just did a quick Google search… they have a UK website, a quick scroll through and would you believe it: they’re selling dresses EXACTLY like the ones I wore in the 90s. Skintight, ankle-length, sleeveless. I guess at least they’ve stuck with the same demographic!
Is anyone from Canada here? If so, Le Chateau was the place to be. Also, in my very young teen years, Mariposa.
Nicole, I had many exciting pieces from Le Chateau, it was the place! And I remember Mariposa, but I don’t think I bought anything there. Did they have butterflies as part of their branding? I think they were a branch of Bluenotes maybe? Oh, the mall memories!
Author
I’m so glad that you and Nicole have remembered the same shops, Chloe!! Isn’t the nostalgia part of your youth’s clothes shopping so comforting…?
Author
I’ve actually heard of Mariposa…?!
There was a Le Chateau in Boston, US in the late 80’s/early 90s. LOVED that store – so funky and unique. Au Coton was huge in the US in the 80’s too.
Loved a shop up in C&A mum used to take me there. And the Morgan. Oh everything had to be from Morgan! I got thrown out of Tammy Girl when Sara was around eight. She returned something while I was in a shop next door. They called her a liar! There were some choice words leave my mouth! xx
Author
Oh dear not a good experience in Tammy Girl, Laurie! Amazing how those sorts of memories stick with you though, isn’t it…!
With you on Chelsea Girl. Browsing round Chelsea Girl was a Saturday must do.
Author
Chelsea Girl was THE best, Lesley! 😉
Unbelievably, The Sweater Shop is also still going (or it was, pre-pandemic, I haven’t checked since) with just one branch left in York.
I had no idea Benetton were still around. I was never allowed anything from there as a teen – it was really expensive.
Didn’t Morgan and/or Kookai have their own sizing system of 1,2,3,4? Equating approximate to Small down to XXX-Small.
I loved Saxone because of their Tall and Small range. Having size 9 feet it was the only place I could get shoes that fit in the days before the internet. My mum foolishly let my dad take me to get school shoes for the 5th form and I came back with a pair of slip on flats and some heeled shoe-boot type things. Both of which were a far cry from the sensible lace ups I’d been wearing for school up to that point.
There was a Nine West store in Covent Garden – don’t know whether it’s still there.
And did C&A really last as long as 2001? I once bought some jeans in Clockhouse there, the first time I ever found women’s/girls jeans with a long enough leg.
Author
The Sweater Shop still has a shop, Fi? REALLY?!!! Wow…!
Same for me with Benetton. And yes to the Morgan/Kookai sizing – I’d forgotten but I remember now, it was really confusing having just single-digit numbers for sizes! They only ever had XXXS to S with pretty much nothing in between #facepalm
Clockhouse at C&A – yes. The trendier part of C&A. I can only imagine the nightmare you must have had shopping if you are very tall… I’m sure it’s bad enough now, must have been even worse then!
Living in Italy we still have C&A but it’s not very stylish and the quality isn’t great. Benetton is still quite popular but mainly for clssic knitwear. I remember all the shoe shops mentioned and most of the other stores too. I’ll miss Debenhams when I finally manage to get back over to the UK.
Author
I did hear that C&A is still open in parts of Europe, Christine! Wonder why it closed in the UK but not elsewhere…?
It’s a shame about Debenhams. It was where I had my first Saturday job for many years so I have a fond attachment to it. I wonder how long before John Lewis becomes online only too, eek 🙁
I grew up in Bournemouth and I remember all of these shops. Wow what memories!
I also remember DOROTHY PERKINS, which I think is gone from the high street and is just an online store.
Now I live in Spain and here all of them have gone as high street shops, however you can still buy brands like KOOKAI, NAF NAF, MORGAN or NINE WEST in the big department stores where they sell different brands.
Author
I think diue to the pandemic a LOT more clothes and shops will close on the high street and become online only Helen, like Dotty P as you said. Basically anything owned by Philip Green/the Arcadia Group I think (like Topshop moving over to Asos)?!
Funny that there are many brands that are still open in mainland Europe but closed in the UK… I wonder why that is??
What a walk down memory lane. I lived in Chelsea in the mid 70s to early 80s & I remember buying a gorgeous black dress from Wallis in the King’s Rd for my first Christmas in London in 1975. I had in for many years & received many compliments. I certainly remember Dolcis, Littlewoods, Lilly & Skinner, Bally & C&A (I know what you mean about C&A). I live in Sydney now so was surprised to read of some of these iconic British shops going. What happened to Debenhams?? I was in Paris around 2010 -2012 & there was a C&A there. We actually bought some nice stuff from there. Don’t know if it was associated with the British shop although the branding looked familiar. We have Nine West, Kookai, Bally Shoes & Tie Rack in Australia – well I think we still do. We are in a long lock-down so I haven’t been clothes shopping for a long time! Love reading your blog Catherine – thank you.
Author
Christine I know the King’s Road VERY well (well I did in the 90s…) – I’m always fascinated by stories and photos of it from the 60s and 70s! Unfortunately Debenhams buckled due to poor sales during the pandemic, I think many stores will go the same way if they haven’t already. So every major town and city with a Debenhams has a huge empty building now, even Oxford St in London. Such a shame.
And thank you, so glad you enjoy the blog! xxxx
Oh my gawd. What memories you’ve brought back. I’m from Malta but we had a lot of the same stores as you did. Kookai and Naf Naf were my favourites. I still have a Naf Naf dress that I got from their store on Oxford Street on a visit to London in 1997. I haven’t worn it in 20 years but I still love it. Maybe I should sell it as vintage Naf Naf
Author
I hadn’t thought about Kookai in years till I was reminded of them on the Wikipedia “closed UK shops” list, Lorna… amazing how so many people here remember it! And YES to vintage Naf Naf, that’s if you *want* to sell it – if you still love it I’d say keep it! x
I think we still have C&A over here in the Netherlands . That was the first shop I remember as a 6 year old, shopping with my grandmother and I got a lilac skirt with a lilac patent belt!
Author
I may be wrong Nancy but did I read that C&A is actually a Dutch brand?! If so, it’d make sense that they’re still open over there! I LOVE the fact that you remember exactly what you bought aged 6, I have similar memories of what I wore to parties or places I went to… I love me a bit of nostalgia!
Great post- I was only reminiscing last week about some of the boutiques and shops I used to frequent! Chelsea Girl was a favourite. I don’t know if you remember Richard Shops? A fashion shop with no clear identity. I also assumed Benetton had gone, along with sister brand Stefanel.
I remember getting a few things in C&A. It was a very big store in Plymouth, where I grew up. I’m told there are still C&As in Europe.
Author
Richard Shops *sort of* rings a bell, Gail, a bit like Snob as I mentioned. And it wasn’t just me about Benetton?! How have they survived when they seem to have absolutely zero presence online and in social media…? I’m baffled…
I still remember the song from the Richards shops ad, “Richards shops for pretty things, all the pretty thing she wear…..!” Bally was in New Bond Street last time I walked past. I think Ghost have done a recent collaboration with Marks and Spencer.
Author
I’m actually quite into Ghost as a brand since looking them up, Caroline – I’ll look into the M&S collab if that’s what they’re doing!
And that song doesn’t ring a bell AT ALL with me, which is odd seeing as I have a good memory for things like advert jingles and the like. I feel like I’m missing out, LOL!
So many memories! Remember ClockHouse – the slightly trendier C&A branding? I’m sure I looked a sight (fright?) in my pale pink cropped trousers, cerise shirt, slouchy belt and bright yellow cardigan!
I didn’t see Manfield on your list of shoe shops; I had a Saturday job there in the 80’s and we were quite sniffy about the slightly downmarket FHW next door even though we were all part of the same chain.
Author
OMG HOW DID I FORGET CLOCKHOUSE AT C&A, JULLIE?!!! Thank you for reminding me of that – and yes, that’s probably why I used to go there. It makes sense now!
(Your outfit description sounds exactly like the sort of thing I would have worn, lol)
Now I don’t remember Manfield at all – maybe we didn’t have one in Reading? My Saturday job was in Debenhams, and we all know what happened there… 🙁
Well, I grew up in Mexico. We got C&A in the 2000s and think it’s still there.
We even have Nine West stores!!! Still affordable kind of trendy/good for work.
Benetton was totally out of the budget so for me it was a BIG deal if I got anything from there.
I’ve been living in the States for 13 years and I’ve seen the mall slowly die I don’t have any more Banana Republic or Gap stores around here. BCBG stores disappeared. Hell even my closest Nordstrom closed
I am only 41 but feel unable to enjoy online shopping
Author
We’ve got the same situation here Pilar with shops closing left right and centre – we’ve lost so many stalwarts of the British high street. Some have been around for over 100 years, in fact Debenhams (a department store) has now permanently closed all its stores… it started 240 years ago 🙁
I’m unlike you in that I detest shopping in person and hate high street shopping, in fact I’ve been shopping online for literally 20 years, I think the internet was made just for me!! x