Harris of Saltcoats

[Mitchy]

Ok, here I go trying to jog everyones memory again. Up until not that very long ago Harris of Saltcoats was an integral part of Saltcoats Town Centre. In my younger days I remember it was the place locally that most people rented a TV from (not too many could afford to buy one in those days). If you rented a TV and also went on the 'Relay' your pictures were sent from a mast up the back of the town to a box attached to your house. In the days of few channels this meant folk in Saltcoats could also receive Ulster TV, which meant you got 'The big Match' on a Sunday, and sometimes TV beyond 10:30 at night! Believe it or not my Parents only stopped the 'Relay' last year. One other notable thing about the 'Relay' was that you could receive Sky One on it in 1985.

As far as the shop itself was concerned, who remembers Mr McKay who sold TV's, Videos, HI-FI's on the ground floor? I think he might have owned part of the firm but I'm not sure. Upstairs in the 70's had a music dept for all the latest 7" and 12" vinyl, and there was also a Toy section. The offices for the TV/Relay account payments were also upstairs. Latterly, upstairs became 'Nurseryland' and sold Toys, Prams, Cots, and childrens clothes.

The shop now trades as Ethel Austin, selling mostly womens clothes. Can anyone remember when it closed its doors as Harris's for the last time, although the 'Relay' part of the business still trades under the Harris name?

[Hughie]

Hi Mitchy,

Where was the Harris shop you talk about? Here's my take on it, remembering I left in 1964. I seem to remember that Harris had an electrical shop in Green Street in Saltcoats in the 1950s. It faced the back entrance to Saltcoats town hall and the entrance to the former police station. Alongside the shop was a wide alleyway where my uncle Wullie Lynch (Miller Road) used to garage his ice cream carts. Had a haircut in what appeared to be the same shop about eighteen months ago. As for the Relay, I remember the lines being laid around 1961 in Morris Moody Avenue in Stevenston.

[Meg]

Hi Hughie and Ian - good topic. Harris had two places in Saltcoats - the place in Green Street was their tv repair shop - the shop Ian was talking about was in Dockhead Street - facing up Chapelwell Street. It was one of the *in* places to buy records when I was at school.

Meg

[Wee Shuggie]

Harris of Saltcoats originally traded out of premises in Green Street and did so for a fair number of years before the Dockhead Street shop opened.The Green Street outlet sold Bicycles,Tv's etc and was situated as Hughie says across the road from the Polis and Town Hall's back door.From memory the Dockhead Street outlet was at one time the SSEB shop,I think. If I'm wrong some other Forum member will correct me.

[wellparkno9]

Hi, Harris's Dockhead St. shop was built where A.K.Youngs shop was ,between Gibson the bakers on the left and Thhomson the butcher on the right.A,K,young was a grocers one side and a fish shop on the other.The shop where Hugh had his hair cut is farther up GreenSt. what used to be McBroom's wallpaper shop.Harris's shop in Green St.is in a sorry state,windows boarded up.Some one uses it as a charity shop/second hand shop.Regards, Sam.

[JammyDodger]

I remember, as a small girl, (late 60's early 70's) being taken upstairs in Harris in Dockhead Street at Christmas time to see Santa and there was always a queue to see him. I also remember going in almost every week with my mum and we would go upstairs to pay for something to do with the TV. There was always the same man downstairs who dealt with the electrical stuff, he was there for years. JD

[bigwull]

Harris of Saltcoats are still trading 'online'

[David Young]

I seem to remember taking the acumulator for the radio to Harris when they were at the bottom of Raise Street, just opposite the Railway Station. This would be in the 1940's.

[bobnetau]

I remember being asked out on a date by a chap that worked in the Dockhead street shop. Didn't go, I had already met Bobby by then and was getting ready to come to Australia.
Don't even remember the chaps name, so he didn't leave a lasting impression.
Netta

[John Donnelly]

Didn't they have a shop up in Hamilton St. at one time? - Halfway up, between the Regal and the Melbourne. The audio equipment was on the ground floor and the records were upstairs. We spent many a great Saturday afternoon up there, chatting up the girl behind the counter, (she was a smasher - can't remember her name), and listening to the records. We actually bought a record now and then, but we usually just encouraged her to play the latest singles for us. After a couple of hours in there, up to the Melbourne for a coke, and the bus back from the Memorial to the Cross to get our tea and then meet at the Cross again at seven o'clock to get the bus back to Saltcoats.

Them were the days. The weans today think they know what a good time is, but they're sorely mistaken.

JD.

[Mitchy]

Hi, Harris's Dockhead St. shop was built where A.K.Youngs shop was ,between Gibson the bakers on the left and Thhomson the butcher on the right.A,K,young was a grocers one side and a fish shop on the other.The shop where Hugh had his hair cut is farther up GreenSt. what used to be McBroom's wallpaper shop.Harris's shop in Green St.is in a sorry state,windows boarded up.Some one uses it as a charity shop/second hand shop.Regards, Sam.

Sam,

I don't remember A.K Youngs but I know all about it. My Mother was the Manageress, and lived in a flat above the shop when she married my Father.

I only remember the Green Street shop selling bikes. McBrooms wallpaper shop is now a (very busy) barbers as you will no doubt know. The other McBrooms shop in Hamilton Street is a ladies clothes shop now I think.

Mitchy

[Mitchy]

Hi Mitchy,

Where was the Harris shop you talk about? Here's my take on it, remembering I left in 1964. I seem to remember that Harris had an electrical shop in Green Street in Saltcoats in the 1950s. It faced the back entrance to Saltcoats town hall and the entrance to the former police station. Alongside the shop was a wide alleyway where my uncle Wullie Lynch (Miller Road) used to garage his ice cream carts. Had a haircut in what appeared to be the same shop about eighteen months ago. As for the Relay, I remember the lines being laid around 1961 in Morris Moody Avenue in Stevenston.

Hi Hughie,

As you've probably gathered the shop I refer to in my original post was the bigger one in Hamilton Street. You had a haircut in Jason's Barbers which is a very popular shop.

Mitchy