The 90s were a great time to be a kid. From low rise jeans to Gameboys, and from 10p Freddos to Spice Girls dominating the charts, there were many good things of that decade.
Bristol city centre has changed so much since then, with the high street touchstones that defined many people’s childhoods largely a thing of the past. But more change is coming, with a radical transformation of the area around Broadmead and Castle Park in the pipeline.
After writing about the lost Bristol shop that was meant to be the ‘jewel in Broadmead’s crown’, and if you’re after another nostalgia hit then these pictures of Bristol’s shops in the 90s are bound to have you transported back in a flash.
Woolworths, The Galleries
In October 1991, The Galleries opened in Bristol – and Woolworths occupied a corner on the ground floor. It was a huge hit in its heyday, selling everything from toys, kitchen equipment and gardening supplies. And who can forget its legendary pick-and-mix selection?!
To the shock of many, Woolworths went into administration in 2008 as it struggled to compete with online retailers and cut-price supermarket deals.
Disney Store, Broadmead
Bristol’s Disney Store was a huge hit with kids and adults alike when it opened in Broadmead. It eventually moved to Cabot Circus when the shopping centre opened in 2008, and then to The Mall as a pop-up in 2017.
The Cribbs Causeway store remained open for years, selling everything from cuddly toys to fancy dress and Disney memorabilia. In 2021 Disney announced the closure of all UK stores, except the flagship stores at London’s Oxford Street and in Dublin.
Virgin Megastores, Broadmead
It was in 1992 that news swept into town that a Virgin Megastore was opening in Bristol city centre. It rivalled the city’s most loved music store – Tony’s Records – by offering a wide selection of CDs, games, books, DVDs, vinyl records, magazines and portable media players.
After a change of ownership the Virgin Megastores disappeared and were replaced with a new name ‘Zavvi,’ in 2007. Record store Head then occupied the site before eventually closing down in 2018.
BHS, Broadmead
Nothing topped a trip to BHS as a child – whether you were there for new school uniform, a party dress or a six-item breakfast which only cost a couple of quid.
Recognised as one of the earliest major casualties of the internet revolution, BHS closed its doors in 2016 and sat empty before eventually reopening as Metro Bank and TK Maxx.
Dixons, Broadmead
Who remembers Dixons, which is now Vodafone in Broadmead? It was Bristol’s biggest electrical store but quit the high street in 2006 and was rebranded as Curry’s Digital.
Essentially, Dixons never left, we just know it better as Curry’s PC World, which you’ll still find today in Cabot Circus.
The Natural World, Cribbs Causeway
The Natural World was one of The Mall at Cribbs’ OG shops. It stocked everything from telescopes to gem stones and other quirky collectables.
Sadly the store went into administration in 2007 and eventually closed. It has been sorely missed ever since.
C&A, Broadmead
Before Cabot Circus arrived, C&A was one of the town’s major department stores, stocking everything you could possibly imagine. The fashion store group announced that it was to close all 113 of its UK stores with the loss of 4,800 jobs in 2000.
This article was first published in December 2021 and was republished in December 2024.