SALON 51 AD - 1984

Don't know if Eddie went here to be shorn, but this is Salon 51 in the Murraygate - going for it!

Ad is dated 1984.

TAKE ME TO GOLDBERGS - 1970's

Staying in the Murraygate a little bit longer, here's a couple of adverts for Goldbergs dating from the early/mid 70's.
Goldbergs were quite trendy for a department store, especially for school kids, but unfortunately they haven't got a particularly inspirational selection to choose from in this ad.
I mean, boring old grey trousers (yawn).
Mind you, they do have cat-suits on offer which were pretty hip... but 75p... not likely to be like Suzi Quatro's then!
That advert is dated 1972.
The King Kong ad is dated 1974, and looks a bit like a Terry Gilliam illustration.
Their slogan was "Take Me To Goldbergs" which made it seem like everyone was chauffeured there!

FROM BOTH ENDS OF MURRAYGATE - 1970

A couple of views from either side of the Murraygate snapped around 1970, give or take a year.

Some of the shops can be identified and others are too blurry to make out, but here's a rough guide to what's in the 2 shots.

Starting from the top left with Miss Lewis Boutique - Dolcis - House Of Hearing - Burton - John Collier - Terleys - Grafton's, and then it goes all hazy beyond the Woolies area viewing it from the Commercial Street end.

So nipping over to the Wellgate end, on the right is Jackson - Hepworth's - goes fuzzy again after that but could be the Scotch Wool Shop and Jax - then it's definitely Dunn and Stead & Simpson before reaching Woolies which is out of shot in its wee enclave.

On the left hand side is H & J Wilson - Woodhouse - Easiephit - Richardshops, then can't really make out much after that but Markies and the bank are in there, and I think it may be Goldbergs near the end.

I wouldn't mind knowing what was on these red & yellow posters up underneath the scaffolding - they look a bit trippy..!! Zooming in on them just adds to the blur unfortunately.

Anyway, I'm going to take my cue from the content of the photos - ie, mostly fashion shops - so I'm about to indulge in a few days worth of local stylish delights for another flashback down the Dundee catwalk!

Click on the images to see the enlarged versions.

Photos from Gordon C.

OUTSIDE JOHN MENZIES - 1987

John Menzies moved away from their own well known position on the Murraygate/Commercial Street corner and took over Woolies prime spot further along the Murraygate in 1983, as above.
This shot of the activity outside it's main entrance, along with a few other nearby shops, was taken on 6th February 1987.
I do remember the guy in the picture across from John Menzies though, busking away on the accordion in his scruffy flannels and the wee money pouch attached to his squeeze-box.
As usual, if you want to have a closer look, just click onto the image to enlarge.

Photo by Neale Elder.

WOOLWORTH IN MURRAYGATE

I can remember Woolies in the 60's when they still had the original old wooden counters, but around the beginning of the 70's the store was modernised and got itself some new open plan style rack shelving.

The ad here is from 1973 and mentions how "up to date" it is as part of the sales pitch.

One of the relics from the old store they kept going, however, was the huge weighing machine tucked away in the corner beside the photo booth. A big red & silver thing it was, a penny a go.

Another memory from the 70's I always associate with Woolies were the budget priced "Top Of The Pops" albums with glamour girls on the LP covers. 12 chart hits for 60p or something. For that price though you didn't get the original artists, oh no, these were 2nd rate rogues imitating our favourite pop groups. The work of session musicians in fact, and they were mince!

Oh yes, and get this, I was once thrown out of Woolies when aged around 12/13. I was in the Murraygate store just having a look around, probably been there for 15/20 minutes, when this frumpy middle aged wifie (the floor-walker) came over to me and escorted me to the door.

Was I stealing? No.

Causing a scene with a shop assistant? Nope. 

My crime, she told me on the way out, was "being in the shop too long". What the...??!!!

The photo was taken one winter's day in 1982.

Then the Murraygate store closed in 1983 and John Menzies took over the premises.

OLD BANK BAR - MURRAYGATE - 1960'S

Before the Old Bank Bar opened in Reform Street in the 80's, there was another one in town who had been doing business a couple of decades earlier - the Old Bank Bar at 25-27 Murraygate - the original, and a place that goes back to at least the 1940's.
Although the pub's main door was on the Murraygate, there was another side door down the True Rest pendie which took you into another part of the pub - The Clan Lounge.
The Old Bank Bar was also well known for it's seafood dishes.
The picture dates from around the mid 60's, and the pub eventually closed down in 1968.
While I'm at it, I'd be as well to mention the shop next door in the image - at #29 Murraygate was Paul & Matthew, a stationers. The wee slogan they used in adverts and had on the shop front was - "The Pen People".
Photo by DC Thomson.

CITY CENTRE TRAFFIC - 1960'S

In contrast to yesterdays empty road along Hawkhill, here's a couple of pictures from the 60's showing a traffic packed High Street and Murraygate.

This was the era of Anglia's, Hillman's, Sunbeam's, Wolseley's and such like, and I'm sure some of you will be able to identify a few retro classics in there.

That's a Zodiac parked outside DM Brown's doorway.

Even the bus is in on it with an advert for SMT, who were Vauxhall and Bedford dealers.

The top picture comes from the "Dundee And Round About" book I featured last year, dated 1964, and even back then they were discussing the pedestrian v traffic battle, with the forecast being a victory for pedestrians!

Underneath it is the Murraygate when it too saw plenty vehicle action.

You can make out a beer lorry delivering fresh barrels to The Old Bank Bar.

Both sides of the street are crammed with cars, and yet the sign at the foot of the lamppost says "No Parking"!!

Click on the images to have a closer look.

Photos by DC Thomson.

FILMING IN DUNDEE - EARLY 80'S - #1

I put a few items up in 2008 relating to the time when the BBC filmed the Alan Bennett play "An Englishman Abroad" in the early 80's, with Dundee being transformed into Moscow.

Well I have a really good bundle of photos which were taken behind the scenes when all this was taking place.

So, in the 2 pictures above, we have shoe shop Peter Lord, on the Murraygate/Commercial Street corner, being modified into it's Russian equivalent.

Across the road on the other corner was John Menzies, who also got the Moscow name change treatment.

It was actually forecast for snow around the time of filming but only a tiny flurry dropped, not nearly enough for what the director, John Schlesinger, had in mind. So the decision was made at 4am to use salt instead. 14 council workers were brought down to the city centre to spread 80 tons of the stuff around town in order that filming could commence at 8:30am pronto.

I was there. They did a really convincing job.

Below is the part of the film where you see the Commercial Street scene.

The actress is trying to find someone who could give her directions to an address she had been given. She then ends up searching around Exchange Street.

 

DUNDEE SHOPPERS #4 - 1984-86-87

3 Murraygate shots to finish the 80's shoppers sequence.

TOP - 4th February 1984 - pretty packed at this end of the street looking towards Arnotts across the road. Pretty cold too by the look of the clobber!

Some of the Murraygate shops are- Menzies - Curry's - Top Shop - Jean Jeanie - Peter Lord - Radio Rentals - Dolcis.

MIDDLE - 2nd June 1986 - not quite so packed but a bit warmer with most folk going around in their shirtsleeves.

A few more shops - Dixons - Question Mark - Top Man.

BOTTOM - 6th July 1987 - back to being busy, and now the height of summer.

Some of the items featured on the Dundee Summer Events banners are, Frigate Unicorn, Witch's Blood and The Rep.

You might even be able to spot Mrs Doubtfire in the crowd!

Photo by Neale Elder

DUNDEE SHOPPERS #1 - 1984

You may be able to have a bit of fun playing "Where's Wally" over the next few days, trying to spot someone you recognise in the crowd, in the next batch of photos coming up from the 80's.

Starting with the top one of the Cowgate, taken on 4th Feb 1984.

All that congestion at the Wellgate doorway is just how I remember it. Sometimes it seemed to take forever making your way in & out the entrance, with the less patient always attempting to barge their way past!

Must have been a bit chilly when the picture was taken mind you, judging by the attire on show.

Not so on the photo of the Murraygate underneath where everyone is in their summer togs. Not surprising, as this image was captured on 30th July 1984.

A couple of wee observations - the blue shop front at the top end near the Amusement arcade, is the fashion boutique called "Jean Jeanie".

Down the opposite end, the shop with the green & yellow sign is Richard Shops. Above it however, top right of the same building, there is a large chunk of concrete missing. Did this not come crashing down onto the pavement one night in a storm? I have a hazy memory of something like that happening back then.

Anyway, if you fancy having a go at identifying any of the faces in the crowd, click the images to enlarge, zoom in and have fun!

Photos by Neale Elder.

SALON 51 FLYER

I don't have an exact year for this flyer printed for the opening of Salon 51 in the Murraygate, but I reckon late 70's/early 80's wouldn't be too far off.

As you can see, Dundee FC players were involved in the official ceremony razzle, which got me wondering - did Salon 51 have a special offer on for a blue rinse that day!?

Thanks to DD

OUR PRICE - LATE 1980's

Our Price record shop opened up in the Murraygate at the tail end of the 80's.

I was down south by then so missed out on it as being a regular place to shop. However, on a return visit a couple of months after it had opened, it was one of the first places I headed for.

I can remember them playing videos all the time I was in while I was raking around the racks.

Needless to say I had to make a purchase - so the one & only record I ever bought from this store was a brilliant 12 inch single by Nightmares On Wax called "Aftermath" - a twisted underground dance groove that still sounds great today.

I've no idea how long the store lasted, who worked there or have any other info about it...but I'm sure some of you will!

To help jog your memory I have accompanied the image of the shop with an ad announcing the official opening of the store, which was on 13 May 1989.

Also, one of their familiar carrier bags.

Trivia-wise, rock band, The Silencers, once did an in-store P.A. set there in August '89.

Prior to Murraygate, Our Price were in the Wellgate Centre.

The image above is the moment The Proclaimers appeared at Our Price in the Wellgate in September 1988.

In addition, a little reminder of what was on offer in Our Price back then with this singles & albums chart from Sep '88.

And a pretty crummy selection it is too.!

The music scene was excellent in 1988, with hip hop, house, reggae dancehall and acid jazz bursting at the seams with hot releases - but where are they all in this chart?

POTTER'S CHRISTMAS AD - 1965

Furry baffies...just like gran used to wear!

JOHN MENZIES RECORD DEPT - 1983

John Menzies moved out of their Commercial St/Murraygate corner position in 1983, and relocated further along Murraygate to the empty premises that was once Woolworth. This is a shot from the new location of their record department, taken in December 1983. The record racks were placed diagonally at first, as above, but by the next year they changed the layout of the racks to run parallel with the wall (see December 2008 Archives for comparison).
It's quite interesting to see the large display above the door advertising the very first "Now That's What I Call Music" album...the series being on volume 74 at present!!
And so, with this image, I will now fade out from the recent music theme and crack on with a couple of weeks of retro Christmas shopping!
Photo by DC Thomson

WOOLWORTH'S BABY DOLL ADS - LATE 60'S

 

This ad, which is in 2 parts, appeared in a pop magazine in August 1968.
It's for a range of cosmetics by Baby Doll, on sale at Woolies.
The 1st part of the ad is for their "Sun Shiny" range and features eye liner, lipstick and face shaders.
The fact that this was the age of psychedelia and flower power is reflected in the colourful graphics with the hippy girl in the dressing table mirror. However, because it is a Woolies ad, it would indicate that hippy culture had become more mainstream by then.
The 2nd part of the ad is for the "Moon Shiny" product and features sheeners, nail polish and mascara.
Not that I'm an expert in cosmetics, but I think it's plain to see that the Baby Doll range was aimed at the teenager rather than the sophisticated lady the likes of Coty were targeting in Draffens.
Dundee's main Woolworth store was in the Murraygate in the 60's and below is another wee reminder of this period. It's a radio commercial for Baby Doll which was transmitted in 1969.

Click the ads to enlarge if you want to read the details.

 

 

THE OPENING OF RICHARD SHOPS - 1961

This sequence of photos, taken on 6th October 1961, captures the official opening of Richard Shops in the Murraygate.

The top image shows the big crowd that had gathered around to witness the event.

The middle picture features the moment the grand opening occurred, which was at 11:30 am to be exact!

Incidentally, this is Lady Isobel Barnett doing the ribbon cutting honours, and being a high profile media celeb at the time, helped attract the large turnout.

The third photo is a general shot of the store after the days commotion had settled down and was now open for business.

The shop would have looked very modern too back in '61, especially compared to its surroundings.

Big thanks to Richard.

JOHN MENZIES - MURRAYGATE CORNER - 1982

The above photo was taken in 1982, so this would have been a kind of last glimpse of John Menzies corner spot before moving to the opposite side of the Murraygate into Woolies old premises at the tale end of 1983.
As an added bonus, below you'll find a reminder of the Galaxian machines Menzies had on the stair landings.
Incidentally, at the time of this photo, there was also an Amusement Arcade next door to JM's that no doubt had the sound of Galaxians blasting out all day long too!
Photo by DC Thomson.

POTTERS SHOE SHOP - MURRAYGATE

This ad for Potters in the Murraygate is dated April 1970.
A week devoted to getting a free fitting from the experts it says, but isn't it just trying on different sizes?
The above styles don't appear to reflect the fashion of the times either it has to be said.
Anyway, the shoe shop was on 3 floors and was in quite a nice "ye olde" type of building.
Below is a piece of footage (almost a pun there) of the actual building, taken from across the road.
It only lasts a couple of seconds, so don't blink!!

JOHN MENZIES - MURRAYGATE - 1985

John Menzies moved across the road into these premises in Murraygate in the early 80s, the store having been vacated by Woolworths. Everything was on ground level this time, with the above record department at the far end of the shop. On the left is the Computer section and on the right were wall racks of cassettes and audio accessories.
This picture was taken in December 1985 and in amongst the album racks under "S" are - Shakin' Stevens, Status Quo, Simple Minds, Soft Cell, Saxon, Supertramp, Rod Stewart, Savage Progress & Small Faces.
Photo by DC Thomson.Tints by GG.

JOHN MENZIES CARRIER BAGS

I never thought I'd be able to put the top photo to good use but seeing as I mentioned Bruce's carrier bags in the previous post, I've decided to plonk it on here.

It's a John Menzies carrier bag and this is me arriving home with yet another album - picture was taken in 1975.
And just what LP is lurking inside?
Well it was a brand new release back then - Led Zeppelin with "Physical Graffiti".

The slogan on the carrier is - IT'S IN THE BAG.

The example underneath it is another JM record department carrier bag, this time from the 1980's.