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C & A Modes Corporation street

hi just to let you know i have now found ann after so many years its a wonderful feeling thank you for your help kind regards steve ryan.
 
The C&A in post #22 is current I believe. The sixties building was a replacement of bomb damage and was set back from the sidewalk for some reason...so that building has been replaced again...looking at the photo which shows a building flush with the sidewalk. Great photo.
 
How I loved C&A Modes in Corporation St. I bought all my dresses there when I was a teenager. They were beautifully made, and I often wish I had kept some of them. The quality of their clothes was excellent. The last C&A I went in was in Bruges last year, but it wasn't a patch on the C&A I remember in Brum during the 50's and 60's.
 
Me too Maggs. You could buy fashionable clothes at a reasonable price. I remember buying a red nylon bomber jacket in there; they were available in red, white or blue. There were hundreds of them on those circular hanging racks, so no chance of being unique out there on the streets! I also remember buying cardigans from there; the shorter, cropped style just like you see again today. One particular cardi had a distinctive smell that wouldn't disappear even after many washes. Think it was the fabric it was made from. I think C & A was almost like Primark in its business approach. But C & A either didn't import from sweatshops around the world or just didn't get caught out (or maybe customers accepted sweatshops were bad, but turned a blind eye in favour of cheap, fashionable clothes). Viv.
 
1966 my girlfriend at that time was 19 yrs old and she was so small she bought all her clothes in C & A childrens dept :)
 
I, too, shopped at C & A, but mostly in Walsall, it was a really good branch, like Maggs, last time I went into a C & A was in Prague, not like the old C & A we remember. What a lovely story re Stephen and Anne, it brought a little tear to my eye, hope your reunion is going well.
 
I never gave a thought to were their clothes were made Viv, but I loved them. As you say most people shopped there. All ages were catered for. As wages were low in those days, most people could afford C&A clothes. Their mens shirts always had CANDA on the labels in the back of the collar. I must have been a bit slow because I never realized the it was a C and A until sometime later. I had a moss green crimplene suit from there when they were all the fashion. Also two lovely coats, one in cherry red wool with an attached red scarf with a white fringe, and a short white duffle coat, with a beautiful red lining, I always wore this when I went to the Ice rink, and I felt like the bees knees in it. There were coats there for all ages, and does anyone remember the coat style called the Swagger? or the Duster coat? Oh such happy memories.
 
I never gave a thought to were their clothes were made Viv, but I loved them. As you say most people shopped there. All ages were catered for. As wages were low in those days, most people could afford C&A clothes. Their mens shirts always had CANDA on the labels in the back of the collar. I must have been a bit slow because I never realized the it was a C and A until sometime later. I had a moss green crimplene suit from there when they were all the fashion. Also two lovely coats, one in cherry red wool with an attached red scarf with a white fringe, and a short white duffle coat, with a beautiful red lining, I always wore this when I went to the Ice rink, and I felt like the bees knees in it. There were coats there for all ages, and does anyone remember the coat style called the Swagger? or the Duster coat? Oh such happy memories.

Never knew what CANDA stood for until now Maggs!! Never even crossed my mind. Your crimplene suit reminded me of a crimplene dress I had from there; brown and cream in geometric blocks. It really was THE new fabric, no ironing no stretching or shrinking in the wash. Wash it, hang it up and wear it. No fuss. Not too sure I liked the feel of crimplene though. Viv.
 
I worked at C & A in the 60s on ground floor knitwear, we use to say the C&A stood for Coats & Ats. There were juniors and sales, the sales got the commission and used the tills, the juniors did the running about. We had a canteen on the fourth floor that had a big room divider at the back for the buyers, they would never sit with us shop floor girls. I had a great time and remember my time there with fondness.
 
People still turm a blind eye and it might be well to remember that those laid off and outsourced need cheap stuff to manage. No company defined benefit pensions, or any pension at all for temps, or large union support = reduced spending budget.
 
Before my time, but a very nice C & A Modes post-war ladies woollen coat. Has a trench coat influence. Cost £4.50 in todays money. Look at that waist! In 1945 the ladies coats and dresses department was in New Street and millinery, knitwear and blouses was in High Street. I'd originally presumed it was all the same shop spread across the two streets, but thinking about it more maybe not as this would have been the area bombed out during the war and would've eventually have been replaced by the Big Top development. C & A must then have moved to Corporation St. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1371996399.071755.jpg
 
Viv, it's funny how those big shoulder pads came back into fashion in the 1980's wasn't it? I never liked crimplene either, but it was so popular at the time, it must have been one of the first 'easy care' fabrics, and we all needed that What would we do without this wash and wear idea these days? I wasn't the only one not to latch on to CANDA then? Well that's made me feel better. I never had what they called a Swagger coat, as I was too young, but they were so popular. What a pity non of us had good camera's at that time, so that we could put photo's on of ourselves in our lovely C&A dresses etc.
 
I recall it being recommended to me for trousers. I was assured they always had the most fashionable at the best price. However, because of the term banded around: "Where d'ya get that - C&A's basement?" if summat was seen as cheap looking, I shopped at Nelson House.

Oh, and congrats, Steve. I'm glad your persistence paid off. Your story sounds like good material for a book or film - I'm 'appy f'ya, Kiddo!
 
I know It's a old thread but I have just found it! So here goes!
I used to work at C&A 1964/65 On ground floor Knitwear so I must have known you Carole! I started on Millinery (Hat's) My life how times have changed! Imagine today having a whole section of a store selling just hats!!
I then did my training which involved working in every department within the store IE Packing, accounts and switchboard which was the old fashioned plug system! I loved switchboard! We junior's then had a choice to apply for a department. My choice was knitwear.. I remember working with Miss Lefty and another girl Mole! We called each other by last names It was a rule not to use 1st names So I only remember the last names! we had to wear a black dress with a white collar and In the summer White blouse with black skirt. The store detective then was a Mrs Parker she frightened me to death!!! She really shouted at me for losing my till key In The Kunzells Canteen were we had to go for dinner when the store was being done up... Well that's just a few memories of my time at C&A many moons ago..
 
Hi Emmy, sorry for the delay, just browsing through and saw your post. As I said I was on knitwear our supervisor was Miss owen, I can remember Miss Rowsell (my mate Sandra) and a Miss Bass also Miss Cund and Denise Welsh. We had buyers who strutted through the store can only remember a Mr Keanlyside, but there was a Scots buyer with a speech impediment always smoked Piccadilly cigarettes. Happy Days
 
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