Bruce Bell has written several interesting articles of 1960s Sudbury, including his latest on the Capitol Theatre.
Of relevance to me was his article of Woolworth’s in the 1960s. In it he mentions various departments, in particular, the record bar which I helped manage from 1968 to 1973. What he didn’t mention was the camera department located beside the records area, which may have not been in existence during his recollections.
While Bruce’s article gave an outsider’s perspective of the store’s departments and locations back in the day and often visited record and food locations, it triggered my remembrances of the fine folks I worked with during those years and often comical and not so comical incidences that took place.
Herewith, an insider’s view of the staff and goings-on during Woolworth’s early years at the corner of Elm and Durham.
My Woolworth’s career began after a very short and informal interview with store manager Dave James, who hired me on the spot one Thursday evening around 5 p.m. in 1968. I was to run the newly formed camera department located in a corner beside the record bar. An area of only 15 feet wide by 30 feet long, the smallest department in the store. I vividly recall his words, “Can you start tonight?”
Yvonne Penny was in charge of human resources and guided me through store policy do’s and don’ts. One of her duties, which she took very seriously, was coordinating staff breaks. No small endeavour as full- and part-time staff at the time numbered about 125.
Differences of opinion were encountered when she would approach and utter “It’s time for your break” when I was in the process of selling an expensive camera outfit. In spite of the odd set-to, a very nice lady and for the most part we got along well.
Quite capable office staff comprised no-nonsense Marg Yawney and soft-spoken Bea Williams. Velma (last name escapes me) rounded out the trio. Loved those ladies. Staff climbed the long stairwell near the bakery counter to collect their pay in cash deposited in little pay packets.
No small wonder, Bruce would mention his memories of the delicious pastries sold at the bakery counter. As he recounted, bakery staff would arrive each work day around 3 a.m. to have ready fresh cakes and pastries when the store opened at 8 a.m..
Store managers during my tenure included Dave James, eventually becoming Woolworth district manager, Frank Bowman and fan favourite, Boris Melnyk who was instrumental in my acceptance of a head office appointment. Food operator (bakery/restaurant) was Sid Lemieux (no relation).
Woolworth store No. 827 Sudbury was classified an important AA store and was a jumping off point for assistant managers to their first store. Woolworth store manager training was second to none at the time and these soon-to-be store managers were sought after by Canadian Tire to jump ship and work for them. Assistant managers I recall included, Bruce Purdy, Dennis Phillips, Jack Book, Ted Unrau, Dick Mayer, Keith, James, Clarke. Countless others passed through the doors during those years but names elude me.
Jim Latreille ran the Men’s Wear department, while Thelma had Ladie’s Wear and Jean Whynot was in Shoes. Mavis Kress was at the Accommodation Desk (lower floor behind the escalator). Time has erased many staffers from my memory, as well as scores of students who came and went.
It was mostly fun times at the store, but common with all retailers, there was a dark side. Woolworth had its share of thievery, everything from 25-cent knickknacks to $200 stereos.
One particularly troublesome event occurred when an over-zealous and inebriated shoplifter grabbed a pile of loot on the lower floor and was on his way to the escalator when the alarm bell rang. The “Alarm bell” was a coded call to action over the PA to anyone who could assist, of which I was one. Much damage to fixtures and merchandise ensued as we chased the drunk in and out of aisles. He was finally collared and brought to an alcove near the bakery counter and held there for police.
The petty thief became verbally obnoxious during the officer’s note-taking and after several warnings to keep quiet, the officer quickly, and without warning, smashed the heel of his hand into the thief’s forehead. This action instantly subdued him and ended his tirade.
Remember BAttle of the Bands?! Store Manager Melnyk decided, as a promotional stunt, to feature a Battle of The Bands in the back part of the store, main level from 6-9 p.m. Friday evening. It turned out to be a disaster. The record and camera area had to be closed off as we couldn’t control the crowd. The Men’s Wear area was left in a shambles with litter everywhere. Eventually police were called to restore order and clear the store.
Remember Invitation-Only promotions? Most will recall when stores closed each Wednesday at 1 p.m. On select Wednesdays, shoppers could re-enter the Woolworth store from 5-9 p.m. with their invitation card (no card, no entry) and enjoy 20 per cent off almost everything in the store, a sizeable discount at the time and well received by shoppers.
Remember $1.44 Days? Beginning in the late Sixties, each month Woolworth’s would offer scores of regularly priced items for $1.44. The promotion actually started at Woolco but proved so popular, Woolworth’s started offering the same savings.
As Bruce Bell mentioned, the record department was a popular area of the store. If I knew then what I know now as a record collector, I would have held on to many an LP and 45 I came across. Often Woolworth’s would purchase record deals sprinkled with current regular priced vinyl. In one promotion, they inserted several of the Beatles’ LP “BEATLEMANIA” selling for 99 cents. Today sealed copies would easily fetch $200 or more.
Forty-five’s sold for $0.87 or less and up and coming area bands would ask the store to promote their, often, one and only 45. Only a handful would be received for sale. I recall local lads Inferno 5 + 1 had a 45 with their hit “I Can Take It”, as well as another from North Bay group Kenny & The Be-Bops with their rockabilly track “Lindy Lou”.
Unfortunately, some did not sell and were returned or destroyed. I should have bought them all as each, today, are highly sought after by 45 rpm record collectors around the globe. Irony at its best!
As mentioned at the top of the article, I was, at the beginning, the lone staff in cameras, but became well known in Sudbury for anything photographic. One memorable camera sale became one of the largest in Woolworth’s history at that time. I will never forget Store Manager Dave James standing there speechless during the entire transaction as a young up-and-coming pro photographer picked up $2,800 worth of camera merchandise. He never said a word. Just shook his head unbelievingly, and walked away.
I left the store in February 1974 to become an associate buyer for photographic equipment for Woolworth Canada and was re-located to the Toronto Head Office.
Alas, the Sudbury Woolworth store, the building, and eventually the Woolworth Company would spiral into oblivion not so many years later. An unfitting end to a venerable retailer.
Larry Lemieux lives in Greater Sudbury.
