The lost Glasgow shops that will make you yearn for a return to the 00s

With all the latest Girls Aloud music downloaded onto your iPod nano, a walk round the shops in the 00s was an absolute treat. While the kids these days casually flick open their phones and select a few items from the latest ASOS sale, fast fashion wasn’t so simple back then. If you were lucky enough to have a few spare coins instead of inheriting your cousins hand me downs, there was nothing quite like a visit to Tammy Girl or Jane Norman.

When the latest film came out, the rush to Disney or Warner Bros was nothing short of a thrill. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the heyday of in store shopping, take a look through our list of long gone Glasgow outlets that are sorely missed. READ MORE – Glasgow’s long gone clubs from the 00s

Woolworths

Woolworths shop sign logo Argyle Street Glasgow (Image: Daily Record)

The creme de la creme of the British high street, the nation let out a unified sigh in 2009 when Woolworths closed their stores and moved online.

Prior to closure, they had more than 800 stores in the country – with Glasgow shoppers heading to Dumbarton Road or Argyle Street for their pick and mix fix. Woolies was so highly regarded that then Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government had considered saving the company, but concluded it wasn’t financially viable. With more than 27,000 jobs lost nationwide, is was the biggest collapse of the decade.

Zavvi

Zavvi only lasted a year in the UK (Image: Flickr Creative Commons)

Blink and you’ll miss it.

Originally Virgin Megastore, Zavvi was formed in 2007 – and was the UK’s largest independent entertainment retailer before it went into administration in 2008. With t-shirts, video games, and all the latest DVDs, Zavvi was once the place to be for all your movie and entertainment needs. HMV purchased most of the stores, and Zavvi was eventually moved online.

Littlewoods

Littlewoods lasted almost 100 years in the UK (Image: Wikimedia Commons – Ben Sutherland)

Now transformed into the online store The Very Group, Littlewoods was once one of the most popular department stores in the UK.

The British Home Stores of the past, Littlewoods was once the go to place for low cost clothing and trinkets for the house. In Glasgow, we enjoyed two stores – one on Argyle Street and one on Sauchiehall Street. With internet shopping on the rise, the company declined in popularity and many stores began to close at the turn of the century.

The retail empire was forced to close stores in Dundee and Dunfermline, and by 2005 the remaining 119 stores were gone. The Sauchiehall Street outlet is today a Deichmann footwear store, while the Argyle Street Littlewoods is now a Primark.

Kookai

Kookai stores were up and down the country before 2013 (Image: Birmingham Post and Mail)

A higher end women’s fashion label founded in Paris, Kookai was once seen in department stores up and down the country as well as their own stores. While the brand still has over 200 stores throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand – the Scottish stores have disappeared.

In Glasgow we had two outlets, one in House of Fraser and another standalone store on Argyle Street. Only the trendiest teens were dressed in Kookai, but after failing to make a profit through the late 00s the brand withdrew from the UK in 2013.

Tammy Girl

Tammy Girl closed up their stores in 2003 (Image: Reach PLC)

The absolute highest degree of tween clothing. We all thought it was cool, edgy, and unique.

If you needed some low rise jeans, a crop top, or an emo band – Tammy had you sorted. You can imagine Hilary Duff shopping here before filming Lizzie McGuire. Unfortunately, the store closed up shop in the mid 00s.

That being said, anyone looking for their Tammy Girl fix can find items for resale on Etsy and Ebay.

Dolcis

Dolcis lasted over 150 years in the UK (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Another Argyle Street favourite, Dolcis Shoes operated across the UK for over 150 years. In January 2008, the company was one of the first to suffer from the economic recession. They announced the closure of their stores, and it wasn’t until 2012 that they moved online.

Sign up to our Glasgow Live nostalgia newsletters for more local history and heritage content straight to your inbox

Warner Bros Studio store

Only Glaswegians of a certain age will recall the Warner Bros store on Buchanan Street, as it only made it through one year of the 00s. First coming to the city in 1994, many will remember the statues of Wile. E Coyote and Taz dressed in kilts and playing bagpipes that welcomed shoppers.

Selling a range of Looney Tunes and DC Comics toys and merch, and huge TVs playing Warner Bros movies, it was the perfect spot to spend an afternoon. Not even the wizarding world of Harry Potter could save the store, and Glasgow said goodbye to the wondrous emporium.

Jane Norman

Jane Norman was a high street favourite in the 00s (Image: Flickr Creative Commons)

The ultimate status symbol for many teens was carrying your PE kit in a Jane Norman bag. Who needs a gym bag?

Jane Norman once had many locations in Glasgow, such as in the Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow Fort, and Buchanan Galleries. The sister company of Peacocks, both retailers closed their stores in 2018.

Disney Store

Disney closed all but two of its UK stores in 2021 (Image: Disney)

In September 2021, all of Disney’s stores across the UK and Ireland were closed – apart from the flagship stores on London’s Oxford Street and Dublin. Here in Glasgow we said goodbye to the St Enoch Centre Disney, after serving the city for over 30 years.

The company announced they would be focusing on their online shopping services, but frankly we miss the in store experience. There was nothing quite like a trip to the store after the newest film came out, begging your parents for every toy under the sun plastered with Remy the rat or Princess Tiana.

Internacionale

Internacionale was a tween favourite (Image: Google Maps)

Once occupying two Argyle Street locations, Internacionale was a tween favourite until they went into administration in 2014 for the third time. Edinburgh Woollen Mill purchased the intellectual property, and the 150 stores were bought over.

Frankly, we miss the bargain sale rail.