Aberdeen reminiscences (mostly shops)

Aberdeen reminiscences (mostly shops)

Author
Discussion

riosyd

611 posts

201 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
quotequote all
The Other Record Shop....music

Semi hemi

1,796 posts

198 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
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HighlandBling said:
I havent been here that long.. or have i!
How about the original location for Shirlaws? before the Green.
my first student place was right behind there, on crown street... worse i didnt know they were on the green now!

There used to be a lotus dealership on Dee street. And off Rose street there was a small showroom with the odd bentley/ fezza?

I remember watching the brick chimneys at garthdee being blown up where Sainsburys is now.
nono They are still in Crown St, before that they were in the Green... it was before that...Kiltie got it earlier... do pay attention 007!

Semi hemi

1,796 posts

198 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
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stiglet said:
Semi hemi said:
Kiltie said:
OK, before I get on to the main subject, I'm trying to remember the name of a tea room above what is now the Trinity Centre. As I recall, it sounded like a foreign / exotic name. Any ideas?

Right then ...

  • Isaac Benzie's
  • Watt & Grant
  • Gordon & Smith (grocer at the top of Union Street)
  • The Rubber Shop
... more later.

Eric smile
I raise you Reid & Pearsons
Call - "Happy Trails" hippy
Raymond who ran it has One Up in Belmont Street (and he hasn't changed 1 bit)

Edited by Semi hemi on Wednesday 5th August 18:32

emrrtwo

70 posts

192 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
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<<borrowing his log-in to post!

I was at the Duthie park when they brought the cup home!

I worked in Virgin when it took over the Boots store on Princes Street and that was weird because our basement stockroom still looked like Boots.

Used to Drink in the Moorings/Radars/Tilted Wig. Ritzy's for Mudd club on a Monday and Rock night on a Thursday.

What is/was the restaurant above Baker's china shop - was it the victoria?

Pool at Codona's on a Saturday night when I was a teenager...



Semi hemi

1,796 posts

198 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
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Gramrugby said:
This will sort the men from the boys. There were three pubs on Queen Street, what were they called ?.

No takers ?, you must all be too young.
Only Pub I can think of in that area was the original Bond bar but I thought it was more on Broad street same building as the P&J building now the entrance to the city chambers

Was there not an Empire Bar round that neck of the woods as well, where is Hemibum when I need him shout Oi ! Bro.

Semi hemi

1,796 posts

198 months

Wednesday 5th August 2009
quotequote all
Whats connects both Mr G's & the shop Terracotta in Willowbank rd, with the Fintray Hill climb?

duka

429 posts

220 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
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Semi hemi said:
That place was called the Trinity Restaurant and was in the Old Trinity Trades Hall that had sat vacant after the the "incorporated Trades" moved to Holburn St/Gt Western Rd
You accessed it the same as going up to Littlewoods Cafeteria but on that floor you went of to the right to the Cafe and straight on and up a short flight of steps into the Restaurant
if you look at the Gable end that juts out from Pizza Hut and you see the Mock Tudor Stone work, that is the Trades Hall, the tall ecclesiastic looking windows overlooking Union St are still there I think over the entrance to The Mall
IIRC down below was Macmillian shop, now the union street entrance to the debenhams centre? Similar frontage to rubber shop in george street with big windows and dark oak frames.

how about union street

rossleighs garage - think it ended up as Habitat, then a computer shop "star"?
an american diner where you went through the back and downstairs , big place, can't remember exactly but it was beside where G-Star shop currently is
Wm Low top of union street where beluga is? typhoid break out traced back to there in 1964 I believe from some tinned corned beef!
Majestic cinema opposite soul bar
the other record shop & inky books at the back- now stadia bar - talk about record shops what was the record shop on georges street next to where the ten bin bolwing used to be "Elena May"??


CO2000

3,177 posts

209 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
How about The Village & Rollerland

& even ealier the Ice Skating Rink off George St.

An Old School shop you would think would have been long gone or vastly changed is still on the go (last time I looked anyway) pretty much the same as 20 odd years ago - McKays on Queen St.
Used to be good for Ellese, Fila, Diadora, Sergio Tacchini etc.

HighlandBling

2,365 posts

202 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Semi hemi said:
HighlandBling said:
I havent been here that long.. or have i!
How about the original location for Shirlaws? before the Green.
my first student place was right behind there, on crown street... worse i didnt know they were on the green now!

There used to be a lotus dealership on Dee street. And off Rose street there was a small showroom with the odd bentley/ fezza?

I remember watching the brick chimneys at garthdee being blown up where Sainsburys is now.
nono They are still in Crown St, before that they were in the Green... it was before that...Kiltie got it earlier... do pay attention 007!
oops, before my time what about the other two though?
There was a very small 2-3 car showroom off rose street, rose place i think. late 80s early 90s.

There was a lotus garage on dee street right beside the ministry, disappeared in 92 i recall.

I can just remember George Street joining union street but only just.

My era was;
Radars
Hobsons
Neill Ross Cycles (spent an utter fortune there)
Habitat
quarterback sports
freedom sports
cheap bar with a spiral staircase down cant remember the fecking name.
other haunts remain which is a plus some changed, others not.

Lefty Guns

16,154 posts

202 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Here's a good one:

Remember when you were spoiled for choice for gas stations in the centre of the town?

rolleyes

They're all bloody cardboard stewarty milne flats now laugh

Edited by Lefty Guns on Thursday 6th August 12:03

luggit

88 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Majestic cinema opposite soul bar

I remember a small cinema on Union Street, just up from Bridge Street.....I think it was called the Gaumont or something similar.

duka

429 posts

220 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
luggit said:
Majestic cinema opposite soul bar

I remember a small cinema on Union Street, just up from Bridge Street.....I think it was called the Gaumont or something similar.
Cinemas

yip there was Gaumont,
The Playhouse (also on Union Street)
Cosmos on Dee Street
Odeon (obviously)
Vue (was ABC when I was a kid)
Queens - now Espionage
Grand Central on George Street - used to show 'adult' films
Capitol
Think there was a "Torry' cinema & also one on King street opposite the kings bar, now bingo hall - down the side of there was a motor cycle shop which sold "Fantic" Italian motorcycles - think it was called Furnos?

alicrozier

549 posts

237 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Semi hemi said:
Whats connects both Mr G's & the shop Terracotta in Willowbank rd, with the Fintray Hill climb?
Not been in Terracotta but,
You're ears would still be buzzing the next day and you'd be fked if you went off in the corner... getmecoat

x200sxy

515 posts

200 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
I bought Doc. Marten shoes from there late last year.


CO2000 said:
An Old School shop you would think would have been long gone or vastly changed is still on the go (last time I looked anyway) pretty much the same as 20 odd years ago - McKays on Queen St.
Used to be good for Ellese, Fila, Diadora, Sergio Tacchini etc.

footsoldier

2,258 posts

192 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Playing "asteroids" in the other record shop and "lunar lander" in Grandfare...
The woollies twins
In the commemorative evening express, up lampost on Union Street 5 mins after final whistle in Gothenburg...
What about wating for the halftime scoreboard numbers to be slotted in at Pittodrie, to match aginst the letters in your programme? None of this new fangled internet/mobile phone stuff!
College of Commerce, not Talisman on Holburn Street and the Blue Chip Casino in the Hardgate.



hemibum

833 posts

217 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
Semi hemi said:
Whats connects both Mr G's & the shop Terracotta in Willowbank rd, with the Fintray Hill climb?
OK, You've got me in to this thread now. Terracota owned by Richard Scott. Talented driver of Sports Racers, Elva BMW Mk7, Lotus 32 Formula 3 (may be wrong about the type no. but it was bought fom Frank Williams in 1966 and transported to various circuits in a Bedford race car transporter bought from Brian Classic and previously used by Piers Courage.) Thence drove the "DUREX" liveried Lola Formula 5000 out of Slough..

Ought to know this as I spannered for him during that time.

Queen St. Pubs ? Volunteer Arms is all I remember. Not being of an age to partake of course!

Oh, Mr G's. Is that Harry Gilbert whose father had the Treetops Hotel and had a Formula Ford Lotus with whom I helped out setting the car up at Crimond and spannering over a Bank Holiday weekend at Mallory, Croft and Rufforth.?

hemibum

833 posts

217 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
duka said:
luggit said:
Majestic cinema opposite soul bar

I remember a small cinema on Union Street, just up from Bridge Street.....I think it was called the Gaumont or something similar.
Cinemas

yip there was Gaumont,
The Playhouse (also on Union Street)
Cosmos on Dee Street
Odeon (obviously)
Vue (was ABC when I was a kid)
Queens - now Espionage
Grand Central on George Street - used to show 'adult' films
Capitol
Think there was a "Torry' cinema & also one on King street opposite the kings bar, now bingo hall - down the side of there was a motor cycle shop which sold "Fantic" Italian motorcycles - think it was called Furnos?
Cosmo was on Diamond Street. Adult Film place. Became the Palais after a fire.

Grand Central was a mainstream cinema

What about the Astoria at Kittybrewster with the organ rising from the pit and the lyrics being projected on the screen?

Furnos was actually Furneux who sold motor bikes to begin with, then expanded to 2 sites on Great Northern Road selling cars. Almost bought a 1939 Bentley 4 1/4 Sports coupe for £900. but the trade in for my 56 MG Magnette ZA wasn't going to cut it.

The old man used to work for Harbour Taxis which used to be roughly where the Ferry Terminal is now. They had a fleet of 20/25 Rolls Royces. They all had scraped N/s front wings with driving up the old Denburn cobbled hill.

hemibum

833 posts

217 months

Thursday 6th August 2009
quotequote all
hemibum said:
Semi hemi said:
Whats connects both Mr G's & the shop Terracotta in Willowbank rd, with the Fintray Hill climb?
OK, You've got me in to this thread now. Terracota owned by Richard Scott. Talented driver of Sports Racers, Elva BMW Mk7, Lotus 32 Formula 3 (may be wrong about the type no. but it was bought fom Frank Williams in 1966 and transported to various circuits in a Bedford race car transporter bought from Brian Classic and previously used by Piers Courage.) Thence drove the "DUREX" liveried Lola Formula 5000 out of Slough.

I should add, for the anoraks here, that the Elva BMW was bought from Willie Forbes whose father owned the West End Garage on Great Northern Road at Kittybrewster. Willie went on to less than distinguish himself with some Lotus single seater at Ingleston and other Northern circuits. At that time there also was a guy, Jock Russell of Russell of Bathgate transport dynasty who had bought the ex Jim Clark Indy winning Lotus 35 and made a total arse of it around the track.

Jerry and Jenny Birrell in the Imps

Always remember Ingleston for the day Jim Clark died. The racing continued, but without the usual banter.


Semi hemi

1,796 posts

198 months

Friday 7th August 2009
quotequote all

OK, looks like the mists of time have taken their toll on some memories but here goes.

Cineamas

from the west
The Odeon,
Justice mill, Now a fitness centre.

The Playhouse,
Union St, opposite Rose St in my youth this was the 18+, saw the Devils & Clockwork Orange there.

The Capitol,
Union St now Chicago Rock Etc, Another Cinema where the mighty Wurlizer would rise from the pit. in fact the Organ is still in situ under the floor of Chicago rock.

The Majestic,
Union St, Hemibum took me to see Vanishing Point there. its all his fault.

The Gaumont
Union St, After it closed it became the Job Centre for a while.

Cosmo 2
Diamond St.
Arthouse;) cinema
Not the same place as the Palais, The Palais was just past Diamond lane, later changed its name to "Satchmo's"?then burned down.

Cinema House
Skene Terrace,
Saw "Grand Prix" there as a birthday treat.
became a Bingo hall now the building is shared by Forum & the "Stage Door"

The Belmont.
Belmont St
Long before the present incarnation, Aberdeens 1st Purpose buit cinema

Queens Cinema,
Now Espionage. Also Eaglespaperbag in previous incarnation.

Grand Central.(AKA The flea pit)
George St.

Torry Cinema
Crombie Rd

The ABC
Now the Vue

The Kingsway
King St

Astoria
Kittybrewster opposite Northern Hotel

The Casino
Top of the Beach Boulevard.

Pretty sure there was one in Bucksburn, no?

How about Snooker halls.

There was one in Exchange St, plus there was Borough & Watts in Rose St, later became an American Diner, Pappy Yokums.
On the Subject of American diners, anyone remember "Prohibition" Holburn St?.

Ok, enough for now, nurse says its time for my meds

Just going to throw in "The Happy Valley"









duka

429 posts

220 months

Friday 7th August 2009
quotequote all
Semi hemi said:
Just going to throw in "The Happy Valley"
Ok then, just up the top of the hill

Villas.......

or how about Joey Harpers -> Cousins - > Soda Fountain -> Beluga -> Closed!!