I spent a bit of time with a friend this week. We were both brought up on Tennis Road in Douglas and we got talking about some of the shops round about there so I thought I would re visit some retail memories in this week’s piece.

The Woodbourne Hotel celebrated 125 years since it was established last year and like the Dogs Home in Douglas town centre it is a special place with lots of memories.

I am ashamed to say I wasn’t aware that the same architect of the Woodbourne, William John Rennison was responsible for the Regent, Athol and Sefton Hotels. Look up when you are passing and it becomes much more obvious.

When we were boys there was Parkes the butcher, Dexter’s grocers, Hatfield chemists and the Post Office opposite.

I also remember going to the Westminster garage, perhaps then under a different name, (remind me on [email protected]) and queuing up on a Saturday night to get the Green Final sports paper hot off the press with all the island’s sporting results from that day.

The same used to apply TT Week when hundreds would queue up for the TT Special. Obviously in the days before instant media but still exciting just the same.

I also spent some time talking to others about shops in Douglas.

Which ones they would like here and which ones they remembered that have gone.

The population of our island wouldn’t normally justify some of the stores on the high street that we have had such as Marks and Spencer among others.

I’ve heard people saying they would like a Primark here but the population wouldn’t justify it.

Probably others such as B and M bargains and other discounters would be the same, needing a much larger footfall than we have.

They missed Woolworths in particular which lots of us remember for pick and mix, records, cheap toys, cards and much more. It was nice to hear that they also missed Moochers.

I worked as manager when the original Moochers was opened in Wellington Street, Douglas.

It was set out market style with different pitches being let.

We sold a wide range including discount sweets, pottery from Stoke on Trent, bulk sports socks, army surplus was sold by Frank Magee as ’Sgt Swags’, there was a cafe at the rear, a glass blower, a boutique, everything for horses was sold by Anne Gleeson, a stamp and postcard collectors stall and a record rack, which had American import LPs and obscure country and western, jazz and even classical material.

I eventually took over the sweet stall and renamed it ’Sweetie Savers’, a name I retained all the time we were in retail.

I bought my set of scales and other shop equipment from the lovely Vera Berry who was closing down her sweet shop on Prospect Hill.

Does anyone remember the massive Easter eggs she used to have in the window and donate to the children’s ward among other good causes?

We used to have boxes of loose sweets brought over by the pallet from Manchester and we would weigh them up at home before taking them to the shop pre-packed.

We also used to buy souvenir rock and rock novelties from Blackpool and they were stored in a spare bedroom or up the stairs of our house.

Some time later I took over Moochers renting it and expanding into birthday cards as well.

Once again another shop was closing down so I bought lots of stock and racks from two brothers who operated ’House of Cards’ at the bottom of Prospect Hill.

The cards went very well and when Woolworths closed down no one else was selling discount birthday cards and we opened on Strand Street with Supercards.

It was very busy and many people used to get their Isle of Man Christmas cards long before any other suppliers started doing them.

The rent was significant when compared to Wellington Street but fortunately it all went well.

I remember being challenged by one long-established trader who was unhappy about the potential competition but we both survived.

I always wanted to establish Moochers in Strand Street but it was a big commitment with rent, wages and getting stock over here.

At one stage the former book centre came available but it was in a trust and we didn’t progress it.

Looking back over the years we could have bought a unit in Strand Street with the amount of rent we paid. But isn’t that always the case?

I had taken over the original Moochers the same day our first daughter Sarah was born so I was commuting between the Jane [maternity ward] and stacking the shelves.

Later that same year I was elected in a by-election to the House of Keys and for some time I was able to manage both the shop and my Tynwald work.

In fact as others may attest it was very helpful when people could get hold of me to raise concerns whilst I was at the shop. However, it became increasingly difficult to juggle both and step by step I provided employment to some very good, loyal staff over an extended period.

With this I was able to concentrate on my increasingly busy life as a Tynwald member. The first person who worked for me who remains a friend to this day was Carl Wilson who looked after the sweets in the first instance. As well as paying him he was also paid sweets ’in kind’ for his labour.

Eventually the Wellington Street site was subject to demolition and rebuild after being sold to a developer.

The move to Strand Street became a reality and we entered into five-year leases over an extended period at a rent of more than £40,000 per annum.

So before we made a penny the rent alone was more than £800 per week. We remained on the site a lot longer than some before or after.

My life was very busy and I had some good people looking after the shop and ordering goods. Others looked after our warehouse space.

My commitment was principally after the shop was shut and in particular coming up to Christmas where I would do my ’day job’ then load up the wagon and be at the shop tidying and filling shelves to the early hours of the morning.

I was not getting any younger and when the time came eight years ago to renew the lease I decided not to do so.

Our loyal staff were all given a year’s notice of the closure so they could make alternative arrangements. Looking back it was certainly the right decision but I do still miss going to Manchester and Birmingham and negotiating best prices to pass on the savings to consumers who were all so supportive over almost 30 years.

l A couple of weeks ago I did a little quiz about pubs. Thanks to everyone who responded.

The answers were:

1, Buggane was a window in Victoria Street by the Salisbury,not a real pub.

2, Before and after the Buzz Factory it was the Clarendon.

3, Bushy’s came to the site in Victoria Street where Yates wine lodge once was. I’m told that for some day trip visitors long ago Yates was as far as they got.