A sign of the times: Woolworths closes in UK

One of the many victims of the global economic crisis, Woolworths stores in the UK were unable to remain in business. The Woolworths stores division of the company entered administration (the UK version of chapter 11 bankruptcy) in November. It's parent company, Woolworths Group plc entered administration itself this week. By January 6th, all 807 Woolworths stores in the UK had closed, leaving 27,000 people without jobs. The picture above shows the vacant storefront left behind in Salisbury. While it was never the nicest it store - being a smaller and slightly tidier version of Wal-Mart - many people were sad to see it go, having memories of shopping there since they were a kid. I remember reading about one shopper commenting that it was a store that was just always there for whatever you needed. That's the same impression that I got when my dad and I stopped in a Woolworths in Warwick in 2000.

The Woolworths chain had a long past, beginning as a five and dive store in 1878. During the 20th century, the F.W. Woolworth Company became one of the largest retail chains in the world. It was headquartered in the landmark Woolworth Building in New York, which was the tallest building in the world when it opened in 1913. It remained so until 1930. But increased competition led to the gradial decline of the company. In 1982, the UK division was sold off to another company. In 1997, the last of the Woolworths stores in the US closed and the company changed its name and focused on sporting goods. After several other changes, what was once the F.W. Woolworth Company is now Foot Locker, a brand that was acquired in the 70s.

That's what makes the failure of the UK stores all the more sad. They might not have been the best, but they were a living reminder of the great American five-and-dime tradition. These were the stores that my grandparents frequented and that I too could experience. I'm glad now that I did stop at the Warwick location. I won't get that chance again unless I go to Germany, Austria, or Cyprus - the remaining places with Woolworths stores once associated with the American company.