Jim’s Australiana Spot – 2UE - january 31, 2010

Sydney's Super Department Stores a Bygone Era Part two

Jim had a HUGE response to last week's segment about the Department stores of Brickfield Hill. Many listeners wanted to talk about other great stores of the 1930s 40s 50s and 60s.

Let's take a stroll from Grace Brothers, Broadway to McDowells near the GPO...how many department stores can you remember along the way? Marcus Clarkes, Anthony Hordens, Mark Foys, Bebarfalds, Morley Johnsons, RH Gordon, Beard Watsons, David Jones, Farmers......

Questions

The 'cashless' selling floor was a feature of many department stores. Some used the vacuum tube and others had 'change that ran on wires'. How did those systems work?

Mark Foys had the FIRST escalator in Australia... which store was the last to have a cashless shop floor? (Jim thinks it was Farmers Union in Gawler South Australia - but he is probably wrong)

The Historic Houses Trust has a GREAT web site on all the old Dept Stores of Sydney.

*** We still have our Book special still on despite new postal rates!

Mark Foys	Blu-Bird Sewing Machine

I REMEMBER
ANON

I remember the milk from the billy, With all the rich cream on the top, When dinner came hot from the oven, Not from the fridge in the shop. Our clothes were all boiled in a copper With plenty of rich foamy suds, And the ironing lasted forever, With mum pressing everyone’s duds. Kids used their imagination, And didn’t need money for kicks, And we’d walk to the tram, or the station To go to the Saturday flicks. I remember the shop on the corner Where a penn’orth of lollies was sold, Were we really so much more contented? Or is it that I’m getting old?

Tune in to hear Jim on 2UE every Sunday at 12.30 pm