Central Avenue Shops - Ardrossan c1956

[Hughie]

Not long ago Mitchy started a topic about the shops in Rowanside Terraces Ardrossan which got me to thinking about the Central Avenue shops in Ardrossan and who were the occupants when they first opened.

Here is my take on it:
Starting from the wet side of town:

Ardrossan Co-op (think I was in the first ten customers - sent for the morning rolls before school)
Wool / sewing and material shop
Gracie's newsagents and sub-post office.
Morton's Fish and Chips (originally Breckenridge's)
Chemist
Bakery
Gallagher's groceries wines and spirits

I'm sure I must have missed one or two. The ones in bold had previously traded in Broadway from around 1946.

[Penny Tray]

Hughie,

I was seldom at these shops, the Rowanside Terrace ones being closer, but do I remember a Mr. Byres having a shop there? Mr. Crawford, who for a different slant on things came from Australia, I think, to Ardrossan, also had a shop there. Whether either was an 'original' I wouldn't know.

[Mitchy]

Hi Hughie,

I can remember these shops well from the early 1970's onwards, as I was normally at my Grans in Castle Road every Saturday.

The Co-op is still there, as is a Chemist (Gallaghers Pharmacy), a bakers (W. Ferguson), a butchers (D. Barclay), newsagents/post office (Stanleys), and a launderette (still there i think). There is also a general store where I once remember a grocers/off licence owned by an Andrew Walker, who also owned a shop at the Mayfield shops in Saltcoats.

Mitchy

[JammyDodger]

The chemist will soon be on the move to further down the shops, next door to the Co-op. I'm not sure if this is the shop that at one time was a wool shop, does anyone remember that? JammyDodger.

[down south]

Here's an advertisement for the chemist's shop as it was in 1971:

Susan

[Poppy]

I think Mrs Byers had the wool shop. Poppy

[Penny Tray]

Poppy,

Did Mr Byers 'wool shop' not 'double' as a Sub-Post Office too? Living on the other side of the Dalry Road, I can't be sure but Mr Byers was, for may years, on my evening newspaper 'run' (Evening Times) and it's in my mind that he was a Sub-Postmaster?????

[Hughie]

From what I recall, Penny, Graces was the sub-post office and the wool shop was next door between the Co-op and Graces.

[Penny Tray]

Hughie,

I'm certainly not going to argue with someone who lived as close to the shops as you.

Do you think that every time you have a birthday some of the old grey matter fades?

[Hughie]

Hughie,Do you think that every time you have a birthday some of the old grey matter fades?

Damn! I had a thought I wanted to convey - it's gone.

[unicornheart]

I was Mrs Byers 1st customer as I was only a wean I can't remember what I was in for but till the day she left she always told me this,she was a pleasant woman I liked her and Gracie's next door.

[MANBEAR]

Worked in the coop as trainee manager in 1966 but never lasted long as I found it hard to work inside after being a milk boy for the coop.
Ian