Elgin town centre has changed a lot over the years.
Like everywhere, high streets and town centres have evolved as online shopping has surged.
Places like Woolworths, once a staple of the country’s centres, have disappeared.
Sometimes, it is nice to reminisce.
On social media, we asked you which closed Elgin shops you miss the most.
The question attracted 136 responses.
This list may seem like something from a period drama for one or two generations, but for others, these five Elgin shops that aren’t trading anymore will no doubt jog a memory.
Woolworths
Woolworths, famous for its pick-n-mix selection, was a high street stalwart and sold a variety of products from kitchen supplies to gardening equipment to clothing.
The Elgin store opened in 1928.
Woolworths fell into administration in 2008, and all 800 of the retailer’s stores closed.
The firm was laden with £385 million of debt at the time of its collapse.
Now the building is home to Poundland, which is currently being redeveloped.
Address: 163 High Street, Elgin
Junners
Junners was a popular toy shop on South Street.
It closed in January 2016 after 116 years of trading.
The large C-listed property was once the entrance to Elgin’s Victorian market but has since become rundown.
Repeated attempts to sell the South Street shop at auction have proved unsuccessful while it continues to remain on the market.
In 2018, we revealed a gym firm pulled out of taking over the building because of Brexit-related uncertainty after being in the final stage of a deal.
Now, there are plans to redevelop the building as part of regeneration plans.
Officials believe the shop provides a potential opportunity for a food and drink courtyard and flats.
Pentangle
Gift shop Pentangle used to be in Unit 2 in the St Giles Centre.
In 2005, it closed after the firm collapsed.
The company also had stores in Aberdeen and Inverness.
The Inverness and Elgin branches employed 11 people between them.
Phone company O2 is currently in the shopping centre unit.
Address: Unit 2 at St Giles Centre, 121 High Street, Elgin IV30 1EA
JJB Sports
JJB Sports once had a store in the St Giles’ Centre.
In 2012, the sports shop giant fell into administration following mounting losses and high debt levels.
Soon Gordon and MacPhail will set up a temporary retail shop in the St Giles’ Centre unit.
It comes as the whisky specialists undertake a multimillion-pound makeover of their South Street shop into a whisky experience.
Address: Unit 1 at St Giles’ Centre, 121 High Street, Elgin IV30 1EA
Wimpy
Long before the likes of McDonald’s and Burger King arrived in Scotland, there was burger chain Wimpy.
It offered Scots their first taste of American-style fast food.
They once had a chain in the Elgin High Street.
Watch their advert:
Address: 143 High Street, Elgin
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