Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Out of Wool

Incredible news from the United Kingdom: Woolworth's is circling the drain. Woolies, as it's more informally known, is going down.

This is, wow... but if you spend time in the UK, you pick up on certain things almost immediately: Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer (Marks and Sparks) and Woolworth's are probably quintessential sights in any British town. (You can add Tesco and ASDA to that list as well.)

The closest American equivalent I can think of is Montgomery Ward. I remember, vaguely, when they went under and it was hailed as the end of an era, the kind of passing of a bygone age in American business. I mean when a store gets referenced in a song in 'The Music Man', then you know it's pretty iconic. And when that goes, it's kind of shocking and kind of sad.

But no more Woolies. Wow.

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