It appears to be the beginning of the end for Woolies. Its mega closing down sale begins today. It's a grim day for its staff - up to 25,000 could be out of work within a month.
What has struck me in all the news coverage this morning is the nostalgia of reporters and anchors who clearly have not been near a Woolworth store for the last decade and yet who are still mourning its passing. A number of my friends have told me how sad it is that the shop is closing but when I ask them when was the last time they entered the store, they fix me with one of those looks that says 'as if...' and then tell me they can't remember when it was.
The fact is that Woolies has long since lost its reason for being on our high streets. No one needs to shop there as the things it stocks can be found more cheaply and conveniently - and in more pleasant surroundings - at a host of other retailers.
I used my local Woolies as a short cut from the High street to the mall where my local Wesley Owen is located. Occasionally on passing through - sometimes with a colleague - we'd look for cheap CDs or DVDs and on a couple of occasions pick up a bargain.
I too think its demise is sad but since I rarely shopped there, I shan't be ringing my hands over its passing. That would be a tad hypocritical, I feel.
But let's pray for all the staff affected and look for other ways of helping them practically if we can.
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4 comments:
Ah, now had you been minister of a HMF church or a children's worker you'd have visited Woollies regularly, even nowadays!
I will be sad to see them go, but I think you're right, everything they stock is stocked elsewhere, and their niche has long gone. In truth the 'pound shops' and Wilkinson's probably have everything I get in Woollies.
The thought that the number of employees nationally is almost the population of the town abutting 'Dibley' is very sobering - what if we all lost our jobs just before Christmas? This is certainly a prompt for prayer.
I bought a toaster from Woolies a couple of months ago for £4 thinking it was the cheapest toaster in the world then found out you can get one for £3 in Asda. Wow - a toaster cheaper than a Satrbucks sandwich!!
Ahh, those were the days Simon, starting with the £5 rack and working down.
But aside from shopping there for bargain DVD's I only ever went in (often without success) hunting for presents for nephews.
With Adsa and Tesco just as cheap, if not more so, it had become defunct, if they couldn't turn the high street presence and brand recognition into something profitable, then it was poorly run.
It's terrible for the staff, of course, but I'm not sure it will be greatly missed.
any parallels here with church?
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