Lewis's Department Store

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sun 20 Jan, 2008 11:52 pm

Dalehelms wrote: There was also an identical store in Glasgow. They must have used the same firm of architects for both stores. I dont know if that applies to the Manchester and Liverpool ones as well. Dunno about Manchester but I saw the Liverpool one from the outside and it certainly looked similar to the one on the Headrow.I also remember that they had a warehouse/delivery place on Gelderd Road, the truck(s) were black and green.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 8:59 am

Was Lewis' on of the first places to sell tose Jelly Belly gourmet jelly beans that tasted great but were so heavy and expensive that you ended up paying a small fortune for them?!Always remember getting bargains in the food hall after Xmas. My dad always used to bring back home cheap liquors (chocolate ones - cant spell!!)

Si · Post by Si » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 10:13 am

This thread brings back some memories. Does anyone remember the hot air blowers over the entrance doors in winter? As you entered, the top of your head was blistered with a volcanic blast!

kierentc · Post by **kierentc** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 6:51 pm

there are loads of pictures of inside lewis's/allders on leodis after it shut down. some of them are as dull as brick admittedly, showing the boiler room and fallen down 70% off signs. but some show the amazing staircases and chandeliers. i think they're art deco? i bet when it opened noone had seen anything like it before. it must have been really posh.it would be a real shame if they're ripped out in the refurb, and judging by how it looks from outside at the moment i imagine they will be

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 9:10 pm

Si wrote: This thread brings back some memories. Does anyone remember the hot air blowers over the entrance doors in winter? As you entered, the top of your head was blistered with a volcanic blast! It must have been the hottest building in town I think - often couldn't stand it. A member of staff told me they only heated the lower floors - and let the hot air do the rest!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 9:19 pm

kierentc wrote: there are loads of pictures of inside lewis's/allders on leodis after it shut down. some of them are as dull as brick admittedly, showing the boiler room and fallen down 70% off signs. but some show the amazing staircases and chandeliers. i think they're art deco?

They are art deco. The Odeon before it was twinned was an art deco masterpiece inside. I don't think that they'd be allowed to do what they did to the Odeon today. Hopefully Lewis's will have a preservation order on it. I'm an art deco nut!

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Mon 21 Jan, 2008 10:26 pm

I bought some gorgonzola cheese from the food hall in Lewis's.It was the first time I'd ever seen or tried it.Smelt like vomit but tasted OK.

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Tue 22 Jan, 2008 7:57 pm

they had the real santa at christmas,i loved thier christmas grotto on the top floor,thier toy department was great as were thier christmas window displays...ah! the days of innocence.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Tue 22 Jan, 2008 8:15 pm

am i imagining this or did farther Christmas used to climb down the outside of the building on a ladder??it may sound far fetched but im sure a helicopter was involvedi remember queuing for miles up the stairs to see him with my mam those were the days eh?

peterg · Post by **peterg** » Wed 23 Jan, 2008 5:47 pm

While one's memory plays tricks as one gets older, I seem to recall a Christmas event from pre WW2 days, maybe 1937 or 1938. To visit Santa, you had to get in a boat (on the starboard side), sit down while the vessel made some movements as if at sea and then get out on the port side to visit Santa in his land.Later on, when at St. Michael's College, we used to walk down to the Central Bus Station, in front of the LGI, down the side of the Town Hall where the Black Marias stopped, up the Headrow and then into Lewis's at the top end, have a look round (during the war years they had events like a flight trainer which I never managed to get, in spite of queueing for hours, but I did manage to learn how to drive a tram) and then out at the Briggate end, now and again a visit to Youngman's fish shop and then on down to the Bus Station.I also remember the thick handrails and the pneumatic money lifts.