The New Birmingham c. 1964
Project 12
Location
|
Edgbaston Street
|
1964 Status
|
Complete |
2014 Status
|
Demolished |
Name
|
S & U
|
The S & U Stores Ltd. building in Edgbaston Street opened in 1958
and was a familiar sight on the skyline of the city right up until, I
believe, the late 1990's. The S & U business had been formed
by Clifford Coombes back in 1938 with the name standing for Sports and
Utilities. It enabled people to buy essential household items by
paying weekly. I guess it could be compared to the
BrightHouse of today, but for
things that people actually needed (i.e. pots, pans and blankets)
rather than things that they want (big screen TVs and laptops!).
In 2014,
S & U remained in
business but the site was occupied by Birmingham's Indoor Market.
S & U building from Dudley St, May
1958.
Photo by D J Norton.
Former site of S & U,
June 2014