Ex-shop (Liverpool)
Nameless ex-shop, 86-90 Duke Street, Liverpool L1, 2003 • Abandoned emporium in a grand ex-merchant’s house. Still decaying in 2012, though redevelopment is creeping up.
J.W. Ould
J.W. Ould, 35 Herbert Road, Plumstead, Borough of Greenwich, London SE18, 2004 • Three layers of old signage here, though I can’t find out the full name. Later became Belleza Hair […]
Hilton Aqua Emporium
Hilton Aqua Emporium, 5a Hilton Street, Manchester M4, 2009 • Nice graffiti comment on proximity of fish supplies emporium to snack bar (I guess fish can’t speak proper English).
Victoria Cafe
Victoria Cafe, 11 Terminus Place, Victoria Station, City of Westminster, London SW1, 2002 • Old-school eaterie dwarfed by grime-encrusted belle epoque station arcade now (sadly) being redeveloped.
Auto Electrical
Auto Electrical, 223 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Last glimpse of classic signwriting prior to replacement with jerrybuilt-looking office block.
The Molesey Fish Bar
The Molesey Fish Bar, 260 Walton Road, West Molesey, Surrey, 2003 • Unassuming outside, streamline moderne (and annoyed punter) inside. That’s a Milly Dowler “missing” poster in the window, sadly.
Ex-Franklin Barnes
Ex-Franklin Barnes, 12 Bridge Street, Hereford, Herefordshire, 2008 • 1930s “streamline moderne” facade that looks like an ex-cinema, but was originally Franklin Barnes & Co Ltd, a farm and garden supplies emporium. […]
Pier Road Snack Bar
Pier Road Snack Bar, Pier Road, North Woolwich, Borough of Newham, London E16, 2005 • Blimey, they put the road sign on the cafe sign! Interesting workmanship.
London Rd Cafe and Snack B
London Rd Cafe and Snack B, 170 London Road, Norbiton, Surrey, 2002 • Cheery but name-truncated eaterie which was demolished along with the Donald Judd-style shop posted yesterday. Note how sign […]
Ex-shop (Norbiton)
Ex-shop, 160 London Road, Norbiton, Surrey, 2005 • Another ex-shop resembling fine art, this time Donald Judd. Was later knocked down to build toytown flats.
Ex-shop (Poole)
Ex-shop, 3 High Street, Poole, Dorset, 2004 • An empty shop resembling fine art, specifically early Christo. Now a Telegraph-sponsored newsagents.
W. Bishop
W. Bishop, 12 Merkland Street, Partick, Glasgow G11, Scotland, 2010 • What a great old butcher’s sign. Even the letters look like they’re made of sausages!
Wimbledon Metal Co. Ltd.
Wimbledon Metal Co. Ltd., 105-107 Brighton Road, Surbiton, Surrey, 2001 • I actually stopped the car while driving past in the middle of the night to photograph this – how sad. […]
Sunbird Travel
Sunbird Travel, 341 Kennington Road, Borough of Lambeth, London SE11, 2002 • Lovely piece of acrylic art – the bird even has a tiny dot for its eye (bottom). Closed 2002 […]
Kara Model Milliner
Kara Model Milliner, 33 Queen Street Derby, Derbyshire, 2010 • Lasted 1953-2013, when rent hikes scuppered it. As their website says, it was a tiny piece of elegance in a modern world.
Waterloo House (Last Chance Saloon, Cide Skate Shop)
Waterloo House (Last Chance Saloon, Cide Skate Shop), 88 Lower […]
Knitters Corner & Skin Raiders
Knitters Corner & Skin Raiders, 26 Railway Approach, East Grinstead, West Sussex, 2004 • Knit your own tattoos: happy confluence of cat- and dog-themed shops, both gone now.
F. Cooke (Broadway Market)
F. Cooke, 9 Broadway Market, Borough of Hackney, London E8, 2004 • Eel emporium estd. 1862 and still going strong despite much gentrification in its immediate area.
John Quality
John Quality, Grainger Arcade, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2005 • Proud sign in Newcastle’s wonderful Grainger Arcade for a delicatessen and sweet stall that doesn’t actually exist any more.
D.H. Baines & Co.
D.H. Baines & Co., 12 Campo Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, 2010 • Jewellers with slight typographic dissonance between signage and graffiti.
Eros Movieland
Eros Movieland, 1 Berwick Street, Soho, City of Westminster, London W1, 2002 • Beware ancient Greeks bearing 1960s X-rated videos. All, including stairway to “model”, is now demolished.
Doves Solicitors
Doves Solicitors, 200 & 202 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Yes, I’d certainly get my mission-critical legal work done here.
Hercules Newsagents Ltd.
Hercules Newsagents Ltd., 4 Hercules Road, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2001 • Hercules and Mars, geddit? Greco-Roman divinity-based newsagent that’s been shuttered for years.
Little Kitchen
Little Kitchen, 12 Lendal Terrace, Clapham, Borough of Lambeth, London SW4, 2002 • Now gone to the great kitchen in the sky, along with its generic Pepsi sign.
Scampi Bar
Scampi Bar, 107 Mitcham Lane, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW16, 2001 • 1970s-style culinary sophistication, with sign reading “property of Schweppes”. Now replaced by Far East Kitchen.
Schwar & Co
Schwar & Co., 250 Walworth Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Phwoar, Schwar the jewellers and its golden gem of a sign is still there.
S. Tray Ironmonger
S. Tray Ironmonger, 249 Mitcham Lane, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW16, 2001 • Traditional ironmongers with traditional name, now long gone (it became half of Spa – note, not Spar – […]
T.V.s Are “Us”
T.V.s Are “Us”, 54 Streatham Hill, Borough of Lambeth, London SW2, 2001 • Yeah, I’d definitely buy my quality ex-rental TV here. Nice car!
Cigarettes Confectionery Tobacco
Cigarettes Confectionery Tobacco, 6 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent, 2002 • Old sign briefly revealed during redevelopment into flats – you’d never know there’d been a shop there now.
Mark of Mayfair
Mark of Mayfair, 7 Middle Street, Horsham, West Sussex, 2003 • That’s Mayfair of Horsham. Stylish 1960s slatted facade now redeveloped and unrecognisable as The Company Hairdressing.
Bridge Cafe
Bridge Cafe, 2 Bridge Rd, Willesden, Borough of Brent, London NW10, 2004 • Wonky cafe-shack that’s now demolished. The DIY logo looks like half a burger bun, but it’s meant to […]
Shopfront Elegy 