From Watt Brothers to Lewis's: 7 legendary Glasgow shops we all miss

There's one thing memory that unites us all, however, and whether it was trailing after mum and dad or, as you got a bit older, hitting the town on a Saturday afternoon with your pals, we all remember shopping in the city centre.

We asked our readers to tell us the shops they miss the most that have disappeared from Glasgow's high street forever.

Join us as we go on a walk down memory lane and show you seven stores we will never forget.

Goldbergs

A. Goldberg and Sons plc was a Scottish retail organisation which, prior to its demise in 1990, had grown from a single Glasgow store in 1908 to a chain of over 100 outlets across the UK. 

In the 1970s A. Goldberg & Sons became the first retailer in Europe to introduce a comprehensive electronic point of sale (EPoS) system (an IBM system that was in place until 1987).

Until that time all sales transactions were recorded in day-books, an operation which involved having 500 bookkeepers. 

A. Goldberg & Sons developed its own in-house credit agreement called the Style card. Style was launched at the beginning of 1982 and followed the lead of other credit cards with no interest incurred for prompt monthly payment. Style card was eventually taken over by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Goldbergs went into receivership and ceased trading in 1990 having suffered losses of £10 million.

The flagship Glasgow store on Candleriggs was acquired by entrepreneurs Vera and Gerald Weisfeld in 1994 and reopened as discount clothes store Weisfelds in a similar concept to their previous business, What Everyone Wants.

This store closed in 1999 and the site subsequently fell into dereliction.

The building was partially demolished in 2002 following the collapse of an adjacent tenement due to unstable foundations. 

Pettigrew & Stephens

The company was founded in 1888 as Pettigrew & Stephens. The Sauchiehall Street sold a wide range of goods, including clothes, millinery, confectionery, carpets, furniture, ironmongery and china.

In 1914, it was massively extended becoming the largest department store in Scotland.

In 1926, Pettigrew & Stephens Ltd was acquired by the Scottish Drapery Corporation Ltd, a management holding company, of Edinburgh. In 1952, the Scottish Drapery Corporation Ltd and its subsidiaries were acquired by House of Fraser Ltd.

In 1955, Pettigrew & Stephens Ltd went into voluntary liquidation and its business was merged with House of Fraser Ltd.

Woolworths 

For generations, Woolworths was the go-to for, well, everything. From stationery, to books, the stores offered Glaswegians the chance to shop until their hearts were content. 

Woolworths first opened in Union Street in 1915 with an Ayrgle Street branch unveiled in 1922. Later that year, the chain opened a branch in Charing Cross. 

To this day, we still think about a Woolies pick n’ mix. 

However, it all turned sour in 2008 when the company went bust and disappeared forever from our high streets. Today, the Argyle Street store has been turned into TK Maxx. 

Lewis's

It's long gone from Arygle Street, but the thought of a trip to Lewis's still holds a special place in the hearts of Glaswegians. 

The department store was famous for having the city's first escalator - or moving stairs, as the locals called it at the time - and every year thousands of youngsters would get the chance to sit on Santa Claus' lap ahead of Christmas Day. 

Opening in 1929, the store dominated the street until it closed in the 1990s, later being turned into Debenham's. 

What Every Woman Wants 

Founded in Glasgow in 1971, What Every Woman Wants went on to become a national chain of 130 stores.

Gerald, founder of WEWW, and Vera Weisfeld

Bringing “fashion to Glasgow at prices that people could afford”, the shop on Argyle Street preceded places like Primark and TK Maxx as the place to go for cheap as chips fashion.

At its peak, the stores boasted a turnover of more than £100 million as it continued to grow in 1989.

In November of last year the original building that housed the flagship store on Argyle Street was torn down.

British Home Stores 

For some, the BHS building on Sauchiehall Street is an eye-sore. But, for others, it's a place of fading memories of Glasgow's bygone days. 

BHS closed the doors on its two city sites in 2016 as part of a string of measures to combat financial difficulties that ultimately led to administration. 

Watt Brothers 

A Glasgow institution for more than 100 years, Watt Brothers had a number of stores across central Scotland.  

The most iconic of which was the Sauchiehall Street branch, which closed its doors in October last year after the historic firm went into administration.

Watt Brothers was incorporated in 1915 and sold a range of branded electricals, homeware and fashion products.