Here you see the former service desk and a strange display on the wall, i don't know what it was used for. About 1/3 of the neons lights were dark. 1/3 of the ceiling tiles were stained with big spots or cracked... the roof was leaking everywhere.
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| A visit at a former Woolco - March 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Woolco closed all it's U.S. stores in 1983 but the canadian Woolco stores remained in business until 1994. Woolworth Canada Inc. operated up to 160 Woolco department stores in Canada. The chain started to struggle in the 90's and Wal-Mart acquired the chain in 1994 in a move to enter the canadian market. 122 of the 160 stores were converted to Wal-Mart. The remaining others were second class locations in smaller markets and they were sold. The store of «Les Galeries St. Anne» shopping center is one of them. No retail chain was interrested in buying the behemoth store in Quebec City. Recently, a Camper/RV dealer used the space as an indoor showcase. In 2005, the entire plaza has been demolished. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Most canadian Woolco stores had this look. A big storefront with concrete and rocks on the front exterior wall. They had windows on each side of the doors and often, there was a «parking road» leading straight to the front doors. (shown above) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Most of the Woolco stores were very old and outdated when they closed. The inside is like a «Time capsule» from the 80's. Even if the stores operated until the mid 90's, they had the 80's style, wich was inspired from the 70's... Here you see the former service desk and a strange display on the wall, i don't know what it was used for. About 1/3 of the neons lights were dark. 1/3 of the ceiling tiles were stained with big spots or cracked... the roof was leaking everywhere. |
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| The exit doors with the Woolco logo on the handles. The words at left of the logo are «Magasins a rayons» wich is french for «Department stores». I don't know why they have to remind us that they are a department store! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Woolco logo on one of the recieving garage doors. Still there after 11 years. Inside, the store's phone directory is still posted on many columns. The former «Golden Harvest Cafeteria» is still there, but boarded up. The «large round ceiling air conditioners» are still working... the noise is still reminder of a jumbo jet! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The former Woolco Auto Center. They boarded up 5 of the 6 garage doors and kept one for use. Later, the RV dealer added a new taller garage door so the motorhomes can enter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Front windows of the store near the entrance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The storefront is pretty old and rusted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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