|
Recollections Leith Shops |
|
Recollections |
||
|
1. |
Bruce Johnstone |
Sweet Shop |
|
2. |
David
Mitchell |
ARD Radio - 1970s - Records - Turntables - Radios - Lunch - Record Charts |
|
3. |
Kathy
Hutton |
ARD's Records Sammy's Ices |
|
Recollections 1. Bruce Johnstone Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland |
|
Thank you to Bruce Johnstone who wrote: |
|
Sweet Shop "The recent selection of photos of sweets reminded me of the "Toffee Doddle" shop, close to Ards Radio in Great Junction Street. In the mid 1950's after swim classes at Doctor Bells we would all head to this shop, a few doors along, before taking the bus back to school. The choice of sweets was immense. Perhaps some of your Leith contributors might be able to provide more information on the shop." Bruce Johnstone, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland: June 14, 2010 |
|
Recollections 2. David Mitchell Portobello, Edinburgh |
|
Thank you to David Mitchell who wrote: |
|
ARD Radio |
|
1970s "ARD radio had two shops in the 1970s: - a record store on Great Junction Street - a domestic electrical shop round the corner on Bonnington Road. " |
|
Records "The shops were owned by an ex-RAF Spitfire pilot. Thee record shop, where I worked, was managed by Jim McBrierty. Jim was in his early -40s and knew the record business inside out. He had an uncanny ability to spot the hits by playing just the first few moments of new releases." |
|
Turntables "Three turntables under the counter were used to allow customers to listen on headphones before purchasing. Some people just came in to listen to the latest singles; after about three records Jim would gently show them the door." |
|
Radios "The shop also sold stereophonic record players and transistor radios. As shop space was limited, these had to be unpacked and set up to allow customers to hear several of them before they decided to buy – then repacked when the customer left. |
|
Lunch "The stockroom was also the staffroom and being about four feet square had only enough room for a single chair. Breaks and lunches were solitary events taken in tandem by the three staff." |
|
Record Charts "In those days the record charts were based on the recorded sales of singles and LPs. We were meant to enter every sale into a diary provided weekly by the chart organisers. Needless to say we usually waited until it was due to be collected before we filled it in with a combination of guesstimation and inflated counts for our favourite groups." |
|
David Mitchell, Portobello, Edinburgh: December 4, 2010 |
|
Recollections 3. Kathy Hutton Edinburgh |
|
Thank you to Kathy Hutton, who used to live at 8 Ferrier Street, Leith, for posting a message in the EdinPhoto guestbook. Kathy wrote: |
|
ARD's Record Shop "ARD's Record Shop in Leith was my dad's favourite shop. I think we were there every week." |
|
Sammy's Ices "Sammy's ices were the best. I think he was in Gordon Street." |
|
Kathy Hutton, Edinburgh: Message posted in EdinPhoto guestbook: December 10, 2010 |