The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's)
was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores.
Despite growing to be one of the largest retail chains in the world through
most of the 20th century, increased competition led to its
decline beginning in the 1980s. In 1997, F. W. Woolworth Company
converted itself into a sporting goods retailer, closing its remaining retail stores
converted itself into a sporting goods retailer, closing its remaining retail stores
operating under the "Woolworth's" brand name and renaming itself
Venator Group. By 2001, the company focused exclusively on the sporting goods market,
changing its name to the present Foot Locker.
One of the best things about Woolworth was that it had an old
fashioned diner inside where you could get a hot dog and milkshake and all the
One of the best things about Woolworth was that it had an old
fashioned diner inside where you could get a hot dog and milkshake and all the
kids would come and buy the old 45 rpm records they had
the biggest selection anywhere..
ad from 1982!
Remember the parakeets in the pet department? You could hear them singing all over the store. Our parakeet Frisky was a "Woolworth's budgie." He gave us 5 1/2 years of wonderful companionship. Mom got her lipstick here after Newberry's downtown closed and we couldn't get to the Newberry's in Newport. Candy department, popcorn, housewares department, lunch counter, and Christmas supplies couldn't be beat. My aunt worked at the Woolworth's lunch counter for years. She said when they ran out of tuna for the tuna salad they used chicken and vice versa...no one ever noticed! :-) I still miss Woolworth's. Found a Woolworth building for my Christmas village.
ReplyDeleteLove the tuna chicken salad story! Priceless.
DeleteMy parakeets, Frankie, Snowflake and Lightning were "Woolworths Budgies" too. I remember they came home in this cute box that I think had "Hey, I'm going home" written on the side. Very sentimental and sweet childhood memories. :)
DeleteI used to go to the Woolworth's in the Warwick Mall all the time
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the end for Providence was when the Woolworth Store in Downtown / Westminster Mall closed in the mid0later 1980s. I could see the city in decline from then.
ReplyDeleteI used to hang out in downtown Providence, and Woolies was always one of my stops.
DeleteI worked part time at the Woolworth in Pawtucket in the mid '50's, while going to High School.
ReplyDeleteFrom Cranston - one in Garden City, one on Rolfe St. I used to go there and for a quarter and buy my mother a small bottle of Evening in Paris - I loved the blue bottle. I don't recall her ever wearing it !!! Now you can buy it online at the Vermont Country Store for $45 !!! Woolworth's downtown - that was the major bus stop for all of us who went to school in Prov. - LaSalle, St. X's, Mt. Pleasant and outbound, That 20 C bus was always loaded.
ReplyDeleteWoolworth's had the best lunch counter in the city of Pawtucket. Their hamburg plate with a hamburger, lettuce and tomato along with fries was the best. And for dessert, the best ice cream sodas anywhere. Oh, to be able to go back to the 50's and 60's for a month or two. What a great time in life.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to the lunch counter in the late 60's - Took the broad street bus from the A&P - I was about 9 yrs old and it was a fun place to be them, a bunch of Mc's and Jews, life was good....
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember the Woolworth's at Aquidneck Shopping Center in Middletown? Where CVS is now. They had fantastic and unique chocolate and vanilla lollipops. The popcorn was out of this world, every time we went I remember my mother picking out a bag for us kids to share and munching popcorn all through the store. By the time we got to the register and paid for the popcorn, it was just about gone! The pet department just consisted of a few fish tanks, a couple of gerbils and hamsters and of course the parakeets but every time we went there that aisle was a memorable and required stop for us kids. At Christmas out on the sidewalk in front of the store there was a little "Santa's Workshop" (too small for anybody to go inside, though). My husband's sister worked at the lunch counter and I remember her giving my son a little packet of Teddy Grahams.
ReplyDeleteI remember -- the Santa's Workshop was down in the corner of the plaza. I seem to remember real reindeer in a pen?
DeleteI remember -- the Santa's Workshop was down in the corner of the plaza. I seem to remember real reindeer in a pen?
DeleteThe popcorn at Garden City would be freshly popped and was cheaper and tasted better than movie popcorn; we would go buy a bag there and Mom would hide it in her purse and we'd cross the street and go to Garden City Cinema with decent popcorn.
DeleteI have very fond memory's of Woolworths downtown pawtucket my grandmother and would take the bus on Saturdays and go there for lunch it was such a big deal for me. We would go to shepherds department store I loved the elevator there. Those were the days so simple.
ReplyDeleteOh, gosh, I remember the elevators at the department stores...no buttons, elevator operators and they had to open and close the big cage gate at each floor.
DeleteGrandma always took us to the one in Garden City and bought us underwear and socks.
ReplyDeleteIn the 60s I would frequent the Woolworths on Rolfe St in Cranston. Remember the banana splits at the food counter? You would select a balloon with a chance to get a split from a penny to 39 cents. I actually got one for a penny once...what a thrill!
ReplyDeleteWas your husband's sister's name Cathy? Because I remember her!
ReplyDeleteThe Woolworths in Providence RI was open thru 1992. I don't know when it closed but it was not 1980 like previously stated in other comments.
ReplyDeleteDid Woolworth's have an automat in it? I recall having lunch in a store downtown, and bought a sandwich and had to take it out of a hinged window enclosure. I'd walk all over Providence taking pictures and popping into old record and bookstores. I'd hop on the bus in Warren around 9AM, and wouldn't get back home until dinnertime.
ReplyDeleteSo many great places back then; The Left Bank, near Muldoon's, Mutt's and Jeff's on College Hill, Block Artist, The Met, Ricci's near RIC, Duck Soup, Round Again Records (though the owner was an ass).