Thursday 29 April 2010

REFORM STREET - 1983

An ordinary, everyday scene of folk going about their business along Reform Street on 3rd December 1983.
The most prominent shop sign on view is the one for Wimpy, who also have the "Restaurant Open" sandwich board on the pavement.
Some of the other shop signs down the left are - Sixty Minute Cleaners? (it says 2 hour on the sign!) - Elena Mae (cameras) and the Cairds canopy.
The Christmas decorations in the city square are up as well.
Across the road you can see the main entrance to newsagent R.S.McColl. This is where, in 1984, I started to indulge in a magazine called "The Great Artists". It was one of those which built up into an encyclopedic collection, featuring a different artist each week. I was on the dole during this period so it was a bit of a luxury item for me! I did, after nearly 2 years, complete the set, and surprise surprise, I still have all 96 of the magazines, a sample of which can be seen above.
Nowadays I can afford proper books!!
Reform St photo by Neale Elder

8 comments:

  1. I got banned from the Wimpy for complaining about the pink/orange coloured burgers they were like lorne sausage without the goodness and the corners cut off. I can't thank that grumpy faced woman on the till enough

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  2. Neale Elder is providing some great images. Bring more on please!

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  3. I worked at Elena Mae's for a short period in the late 60's, had an accident which stopped me from working for a while, they got someone else in to replace me and fired me on return to work, nice employer not. No chance of that happening these days.

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  4. i loved Cairds - always thought it as a real posh shop. saved up and got my first pair of falmers jeans from there.

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  5. I used to hate Elena Mae, I was a keen photographer when I was a spotty teenager and every time I went in there to buy something the counter would be blocked by the "experts" from the Dundee Photographic society playing with all the cameras and the real customers would be ignored or sneered at.

    Elena Mae didn't last long after Jessops opened though...

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  6. Yes I agree with the fact that ordinary customers were ignored a bit, had to cater for the pro's who spent the most cash. Can't remember much about the Boss, he was getting on a bit even when I worked there, but I much preferred working for JD Browns, a family affair and a great set up too.

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  7. Hiya, Re RS McColls, I think the Reform Street was on the one level but the one just before the City Square was the one on two levels....God, this is taking me a back a bit reminisicing!

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  8. I was manager at Elena Mae from 1976-1982. I can say with all honesty that all customers were treated the same, and that well over 50% of the business was from the Hi-Fi side. The only one customer who was treated as "family" was a chap (John Alexander) who worked on an oil rig and we allowed him to display his brilliant photographs on our huge display board over the stairs to the basement. After leaving Elena Mae I went to work as manager of "The HI-Fi Shop" at 53 Overgate but only stayed there about a year before moving away to Cheltenham!

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