Neil_Oz

AD, mate - are you sure about that decade? I'm nitpicking, I know, but I distinctly recall gracing a Woolworth store on Canal Street, New Orleans with my august presence some 7-1/2 years ago. The purpose was to equip my good self with fresh underwear, pyjamas and toiletries after UA helpfully sent our luggage, minus us, to your very own fair city. There I found a retail wonderland equipped with incredibly robust, albeit not overly stylish, underwear carrying the resplendent brand name "Fruit o'the Loom", if my memory serves. It took me right back to the palmy days of Woolworths in Windsor, New South Wales, circa 1958, and such was my descent into nostalgia that I had to be ejected bodily by my good wife, who within a minute or two had run out of sartorial attractions and opted to wash her small things in the hotel bathroom while I paraded around as a fashionista's nightmare. Full marks to UA, though, the bags were back in the Big Easy the very next day.

If that reference to the guest room is an invitation, be careful - we might just take you up on it, with or without Britcoms (do they run "Rumpole of the Bailey" and "The Young Ones"?) I'm sure you'll understand if I turn up with a small, squeaking, struggling political figure in a hessian sack, though. How far is it to the Jornada del Muerto, exactly?

michi

Ah nostalgia: Woolworth hasn't been seen in Canada (I don't think) for many, many years so it was a surprise not only to find some in Australia but to find they sell food. Now you tell us they are not connected. You mean America's poor little rich girl, Barbara Hutton, and her (ex)husband Cary Grant aren't part of your Woolworth history? Pity.

margo_oz

I don't think Woollies here has any relationship to Woollies US, but I'm prepared to be corrected (yet again!)

I'm surprised that JohnJ is so scathing about Woollies at Crowie. When I worked in that area, it was the absolute epitome of all good things to be had.

Mind you, it may now suffer because of it's proximity to the excellent (and expensive and expansive) Five-Star Deli - which is located between Johnj's place and aforesaid Woollies. Just about anything that takes your fancy can be had at 5-Star, at a price. They import stuff from everywhere. You can live just as you do at home. You don't need to try any of those Aussie oddities.

Here in the Western suburbs, Woollies caters for all our ever-so-humble needs (except for those wasabi peas I really like!). But then, we ain't been eddicated to want things above our stations.

And, because we're so multicultural on this side, we can immerse ourselves in the delights of other nationalities ever so easily. The best of Italy is available in my suburb. The best from Asia where I work.

Now, if John had been scathing about Woollies at Neutral Bay, not too far from him - that I could understand. It's a well known pick-up joint! These north shore types are really strange.

<note for the uninitiated - johnj lives on the so-salubrious, snobby northern side of Sydney Harbour (gnaw-shaw!), while I live on the southern side, in the dreaded western suburbs.>

michi

Neil

Fruit of the Loom can also be had here in Canada, so if you haven't been to visit us yet it's good reason to come --to stock up on your underwear. This line is inexpensive (read "cheap&quot, wears well and is well worth the price of airfare.

AndrewDavid

Michi,

I'm sitting her in my fruit of the loom shorts and singlet. Its a hot day.

I will remember to cross the border and vote early and often for the future election.
AD

Neil_Oz

The Australian Woolworths operation may have started as an offshoot of the US chain - couldn't say - but if so would have been "naturalised" a long time ago. I remember hearing about the Neutral Bay store's peculiar dual function 20 years ago, so it must be a well-established tradition. Either there are no singles bars in the vicinity or the shoppers aren't singles, is my guess. "Just hopping down to Woollies to pick up a few things, dear - might be a while, you know what the checkout queues are like on a Friday night..."

AndrewDavid

The Marina Safeway in San Francisco has a similar reputation. This was chronicled in the opening pages of Amistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" a lengthy look at the social foibles of San Francisco about 2 decades ago. A big success , it was filmed for Public Television.

I wonder if it showed on ABC?


AndrewDavid

Neil_Oz

Yes, that series showed here, but I can't remember whether on ABC or SBS (Special Broadcasting Service). Sometimes the ABC seems to believe that its brief is to be a relay station for the BBC, with the result that much second-rate British output (including some very lame comedies) is preferred to first-rate American.

That's why it was SBS-TV that screened Ken Burns' "The Civil War" and why the (commercial) Nine Network picked up "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under", only to bury them in a late-night slot. Some of the ABC's British imports featuring incomprehensible Scottish and north-of-England accents would be better shown by SBS, which has a world-class subtitling section.

SBS is a government-run national network originally designed to cater for people from ethnic (non-English speaking) backgrounds. I think that was the idea, anyway. It soon found a ready market for European films featuring more flesh than the commercial channels or even the ABC could tolerate. All in the cause of art, though.

Perhaps it's appropriate that SBS was established by former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who after losing office managed to his lose his pants in unexplained circumstances one night in Memphis, Tenn.

I remember hearing a rumour some years ago that in Canberra, Woolworths' Dickson store was a late-night gay meeting place.

wlzmatilida

AD,

you need to start a travel column...you're as good as most travel writers I've read and better than most (with the exception of John Flinn, Chron reporter) who always makes me want to visit whatever area he reports on!

I'm positively nostalgic for Woolworth's after reading all these reports. I grew up in Pennsylvania (Doylestown in case any one's curious) and I have fond memories of spending many hours in "Woolies". I remember the promotion they used have where they'd have balloons on the ceiling and you'd pick one out and that would be the price for a banana split. I've also spent some time in the Cairns Woolies...(no banana splits though).

And, AD, I've been in that Safeway!

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

AndrewDavid

Hey Melodie,

I know Doylestown, I was an undergraduate at Penn. I've been to that Woolies!

I'm sure you've been in that Safeway, as I remember your are now situated in San Jose. Apparently Neil wasn't paying adequate attention to Tales of the City. I'm sure the Marina Safeway was/is metro sexual. I spent many happy hours after foot races stocking up on junk food there and oogling the carrots and figs.

Our Woolies here in Santa Fe vanished about 7 years ago. I have fond memories of $1.99 Saturday morning breakfasts. When we had snow we could cross country ski in (it was downhill from our bed and breakfast) and leave our skiis in the aisles.

I still have a tacky kachina mug purchased for $1.00. We bought them by the case and would let guests steal them as souvenirs.
( Our B&B was Four Kachinas Inn)

I hope to get "5 Days in Tasmania is Not Nearly Enough Even if You Spent the 70's in Northern California" up in a few days.

We loved everything about our trip down under and the only thing we really missed was that beer Neil promised us.

Thanks for your kind words and all the assistance you give to those of us here at Fodorsrville.

cheers,
AndrewDavid

AndrewDavid

Correction:

Make that Fodoritaville.

A/D

margo_oz

AD
Cut the cackle and get on with the next part of the yarn!