oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I used to look through the gates and see the counter-weight going up when the lift was going down and when in the lift hearing operators announce the floors and departments. ...
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michaelwicks54
Aston bred & proud.
I totally agree oldmohawk. These new lifts just do not give us the same experience. I miss those days of how things used to be, like the sound of the lifts gates rattling, the views, & the wooden escalators. They had their own quirks, which we loved. We need to bring them back.I used to look through the gates and see the counter-weight going up when the lift was going down and when in the lift hearing operators announce the floors and departments. ...
Jayell
master brummie
Having got stuck in one of Lewis's lifts as a child it has left me with a lifelong fear of them. I can remember them having glass windows and the lift was packed and I was pushed into a corner where I could see the cables etc. and right down the shaft. When the lift broke down and was stuck between floors I was terrified.I used to look through the gates and see the counter-weight going up when the lift was going down and when in the lift hearing operators announce the floors and departments. ...
Maria Magenta
master brummie
That does sound terrifying.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Just be glad Bruce Willis was not in there in his vest with you. On a serious note a very frightening experience, and I know people who will not use glass lifts outside buildings, because they like to be enclosed. I used to love those old lifts and when at Dunlop, found out how to stop one in mid Flight, usually done when there were girls in it. This was the lift at rear end of the Fort, not the one in the main entrance with Sargeant Jones
Bob
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
The Stage Drunk Freddie Frinton.
Country Road
knowlegable brummie
Thanks for aerial view of Lewis's, my Auntie took me almost every week and always ended up in the cafeteria and bought me my still favourite Knickerbocker glory, don't make em like that today, happy memories. Didn't they have lifts with men or women asking what floor you wanted, and telling you what was on each floor on the way up, opened the door for those to get out and waited for anyone to go to the next floor.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
A snip from a film showing the lifts ...
A short film clip of the 1959 end of year sale at Lewis's. An image from the film showing the lifts .. complete with gates and lift operators ...
Midlands News: 31.12.1959: New Year Sales at Lewis's
The start of the New Year sales at the Lewis's department store in Birmingham.www.macearchive.org
michaelwicks54
Aston bred & proud.
That is just how I remember the old Lewis's store, though it was in the late 60's that I started going there with my mum. Such a wonderful store, which is sadly missed. The staff were always so friendly & helpful, no matter what age you were.Just do not find that much these days.A snip from a film showing the lifts ...
Great film. I could have been in that queue. It may have been 1963/4. My father was after a sink unit which was advertised in the Mail for half price, We queued for ages outside the store and when they opened the doors it was like a full house at Villa Park! We ran down the stairs to the basement where we were told that the sink unit had already sold! What a swizz!! Nobody reached that counter before us! Loved Lewis's though. Best store in town!!A snip from a film showing the lifts ...
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
It was a wonderful store never to be forgotten by anyone who was taken there as a child. I have gone back 10 years in the thread to show two items I bought from Lewis's in the early 1970s ... and still have !! ...
Hello Frank,
It's so nice to read such detailed 'inside' information about the store which I visited from childhood until it closed. It now seems like a 'golden age' of shopping and I suppose we will not see anything like it again.
Have I still got anything I bought from there ? Yes I have....a colourful jacket I bought in the early 70's, still used when I clean the car and DIY on cold days. I'm now amazed to think I actually wore it to go shopping in the 70's, but it probably looked ok with my flared trousers. The tenon saw made from Sheffield steel is still usable although it has been sharpened a few times.
Happy Memories
oldmohawk...
Every year from the time myself and my brother could walk we were taken to meet Father Christmas in his grotto and then we were allowed to explore the Toy Department to see what we would like for Christmas. Happy, Wonderful days.
And a visit to the Food Hall in the basement to look at all the different sausages, cheeses & pies. Rackhams were not a patch on Lewis,s
And a visit to the Food Hall in the basement to look at all the different sausages, cheeses & pies. Rackhams were not a patch on Lewis,s
michaelwicks54
Aston bred & proud.
Rackhams was nice, but very expensive & staff were not very friendly, hereas Lewis's was excellent, had a brilliant atmosphere, everything was affordable & the staff were very friendly & helpful. I guess that is why I kept going back to Lewis's & not Rackhams. Another store I loved going to was Henrys. Another brilliant store that was affordable & had friendly helpful staff.
I am sure I have seen a post on here recently from somebody looking for photo's of Lewis's lift attendant
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
They probably copied it from here ....cropped slightly to hide the Mace logo 
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/lewiss.1260/post-733892
I have no problem with anyone copying pics from here ... I left the Mace logo on to show the image source ...
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/lewiss.1260/post-733892
I have no problem with anyone copying pics from here ... I left the Mace logo on to show the image source ...
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Seeing all those coats thrown onto a unit for the ladies to rifle through is a blast from the past. So much was piled onto those units, not just at sale time. I think many shops stacked items more than they do today. Rails to hang clothes on were probably reserved for the more pricey items. Whereas today, articles are mostly hung so customers can see the clothes to their advantage. You’d never see a counter piled with coats for sale today. Stacking is mostLy reserved for shirts, tee shirts and jeans. Viv.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
A friend who was working at Primark just pre-covid in Reading had the same opinion of most of the female customers there. She said she was continually picking up, folding and tidying after the foragers had passed bythey were rummaging through as if it was a jumble sale
michaelwicks54
Aston bred & proud.
There is one primark store I can quite honestly say, have brilliant staff, & that us the New Primark in Birmingham. Much cleaner than the old store, & staff are always helpful
michaelwicks54
Aston bred & proud.
I can see where you are coming from as have visited the original store & saw the mess but the staff did nothing. At the new store, if anything goes on the floor, a member of staff picks it up & takes it away. The new Primark is so much cleaner.
Richard Dye
master brummie
Actually, i used to go to the ground floor first & last, just incase I missed something!in the sale i used to go to have a look in the toy dept. for tri-ang railway bits and bobs,some good bargains, busted boxes,otherwise ok. and down to ground floor for some free sample cheese before i left
A Sparks
master brummie
That's good to know - perhaps customers act more consideratly in the nice new branch!
I certainly wasn't blaming staff, I know customers just throw items around in my small local London branch and staff are continuously tidying up.
Don’t know if this has been posted. Think it’s probably 1953 (?) for the Coronation perhaps. I notice there are barriers at the turning of Bull Street onto Corporation Street- for a parade maybe ? Viv.
Picked up a few more photos in my search to find out if these pillars are original. This photo was on the architect’s site. I think they’re original but just wanted to confirm. If memory serves me there were quite a few of them down/around the Minories. I think they were mostly on the Bull Street side (although can’t really remember Old Square end of the Minories as I only really used the 1960s subway entrance on that side). Maybe Bull Street was regarded as the main entrance to the Store.
A good aerial view from 1951(Britain from Above)
A 1930s view - a building with visual impact. No wonder they were flying the flags. Viv.
A good aerial view from 1951(Britain from Above)
A 1930s view - a building with visual impact. No wonder they were flying the flags. Viv.
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Country Road
knowlegable brummie
OMG so many memories seeing the front entrance, thanks for the memory.
Country Road
knowlegable brummie
OMG so many memories seeing the front entrance, thanks for the memory.
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Don’t know if this has been posted. Think it’s probably 1953 (?) for the Coronation perhaps. I notice there are barriers at the turning of Bull Street onto Corporation Street- for a parade maybe ? Viv.