That's the Wonder of Woolworths - Mayor of Exeter Mrs Landers opens new Woolies

That is indeed the Wonder that was once Woolworths. Affectionately known for its Pick ‘n' Mix sweets at the entrance, Woolies is in the national psyche. Mayor of Exeter Mrs Landers opens the new branch in the newly built Guildhall Shopping Centre. Exeter opened its first Woolworths store on Fore Street in 1923. The Golden Heart Project developed the Guildhall Shopping Centre and the Woolworths store moved into these premises in October 1976.

The Exeter Woolworths store closed in January 2009 following the Global Financial Crisis. Woolworths went into administration in November 2008, 807 stores were closed with the loss of 27,000 jobs. Founder Frank W Woolworth first opened a store in Utica NY in 1878. The first successful store opened in Pennsylvania USA in 1879. The first UK store opened in Liverpool in November 1909. Fred Woolworth moved to the UK on the steamer ‘Kaiserin Auguste Victoria' in May 1909 to open UK stores. In 1979 Woolworths celebrated its 100th anniversary and the Guinness Book of World Records announces it to be the biggest global retail department store.