james2001 wrote: Tue 18 Feb, 2025 23.01
The blue and white aisle singage in the 1995 video is ALMOST right, but it was one long continuous strip the whole width of the store rather than broken into sections as it is here.
The 1999 section also has the old logo on the carrier bags. That logo did hang around on carrier bags for a couple of years after the new logo came in (even though the new logo appeared elsewhere on the bags), but it had finally been changed by the end of 1997. I don't think the "Every Little Helps" slogan ever appeared on the side of the bags with the blue stripes either, as seen in the 2004 section (but it did appear on the other side of the bag which was usually a promotion for something else)
I know I'm being very anal here when they've clearly put in a lot of attention to detail.
Bet you as a kid aced spot the difference! That's some very niche and particular knowledge, your mastermind subject is Tesco branding?!
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Wed 19 Feb, 2025 10.14
by bilky asko
james2001 wrote: Tue 18 Feb, 2025 23.01
The blue and white aisle singage in the 1995 video is ALMOST right, but it was one long continuous strip the whole width of the store rather than broken into sections as it is here.
The 1999 section also has the old logo on the carrier bags. That logo did hang around on carrier bags for a couple of years after the new logo came in (even though the new logo appeared elsewhere on the bags), but it had finally been changed by the end of 1997. I don't think the "Every Little Helps" slogan ever appeared on the side of the bags with the blue stripes either, as seen in the 2004 section (but it did appear on the other side of the bag which was usually a promotion for something else)
I know I'm being very anal here when they've clearly put in a lot of attention to detail.
The bags with the blue stripes and the slogan were definitely a thing - you can even find stock photos of said bags, and examples being sold on eBay.
james2001 wrote: Tue 18 Feb, 2025 23.01
The blue and white aisle singage in the 1995 video is ALMOST right, but it was one long continuous strip the whole width of the store rather than broken into sections as it is here.
The 1999 section also has the old logo on the carrier bags. That logo did hang around on carrier bags for a couple of years after the new logo came in (even though the new logo appeared elsewhere on the bags), but it had finally been changed by the end of 1997. I don't think the "Every Little Helps" slogan ever appeared on the side of the bags with the blue stripes either, as seen in the 2004 section (but it did appear on the other side of the bag which was usually a promotion for something else)
I know I'm being very anal here when they've clearly put in a lot of attention to detail.
Bet you as a kid aced spot the difference! That's some very niche and particular knowledge, your mastermind subject is Tesco branding?!
It's only a shame they didn't use the old cream and red signage! Admittedly that had long stopped being used in new builds by 1995, but there were still plenty of stores with it at that time.
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Thu 27 Feb, 2025 20.38
by Alexia
This has probably been mentioned, but on the outside of the Tesco Express in Swindon "town centre" there is an old rounded-edge rectangle sign with Text in the old Tesco font saying "this store is licensed to trade in game"
Would take a picture but no way my phone is coming out of my pocket there.
Not a supermarket as such, but I just spotted this picture on a news article:
I remember seeing this sign (or one like it) in the late 90s and it's stuck in my head ever since because of it being blue rather than red. From what I can tell, Little Chef never used blue as a colour on their signs, or that font for the logo, so this must be from a restaurant they took over from someone else and quickly slapped Little Chef branding on. I did wonder if it might have been a former Happy Eater, which all got converted to Little Chefs, but it doesn't look like they ever used blue for signage either.
Also, the branch on the A38 coming into Derby kept a really old sign on it, even as all the others were changed, right up until it closed in the early 2010s: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DAqm6QC8ZfE5qd9QA
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2025 21.52
by WillPS
james2001 wrote: Fri 07 Mar, 2025 15.16
Not a supermarket as such, but I just spotted this picture on a news article:
I remember seeing this sign (or one like it) in the late 90s and it's stuck in my head ever since because of it being blue rather than red. From what I can tell, Little Chef never used blue as a colour on their signs, or that font for the logo, so this must be from a restaurant they took over from someone else and quickly slapped Little Chef branding on. I did wonder if it might have been a former Happy Eater, which all got converted to Little Chefs, but it doesn't look like they ever used blue for signage either.
Also, the branch on the A38 coming into Derby kept a really old sign on it, even as all the others were changed, right up until it closed in the early 2010s: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DAqm6QC8ZfE5qd9QA
The blue signage was one of the many different concepts various owners trialled then quickly pulled in a desperate attempt to curb rapidly declining sales. Nothing to do with Happy Eater nor any chain or site that was merged in before.
This video posted by the BBC Archive today about the early days of the supermarket value products gives us a look at some early 80s supermarkets. Mostly Tesco and the long gone Fine Fare and International.
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Sun 06 Apr, 2025 18.12
by AGuyFromUpNorth
Going back to the topic of Little Chef, the Markham Moor North store near Retford was split in half in 2014 to make the right hand side into a Subway, which only closed last year. When they removed the Subway signage the original red paintwork was exposed. The left side, which is now a KFC, still has the Little Chef 'Welcome' sign above the door to this day (easily seen on Google Maps).
And, on the topic of KFC, the one in Boston still has the 1997 signage in use! I'm guessing likely due to the unusual shape of the signs, they decided not to bother replacing them when they updated the inside.
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Sun 06 Apr, 2025 21.53
by WillPS
AGuyFromUpNorth wrote: Sun 06 Apr, 2025 18.12
Going back to the topic of Little Chef, the Markham Moor North store near Retford was split in half in 2014 to make the right hand side into a Subway, which only closed last year. When they removed the Subway signage the original red paintwork was exposed. The left side, which is now a KFC, still has the Little Chef 'Welcome' sign above the door to this day (easily seen on Google Maps).
It was already sort of split before then - the right side was where BK originally was, then Coffee Tempo in the mid 00s and finally Good-to-Go/Express before it became a Subway.
It is definitely a total mess however.
The Starbucks across the road in the former Happy Eater is well worth a visit to appreciate its ridiculously stylish roof.
Re: Old supermarket signage
Posted: Mon 07 Apr, 2025 08.22
by thegeek
WillPS wrote: Sun 06 Apr, 2025 21.53
The Starbucks across the road in the former Happy Eater is well worth a visit to appreciate its ridiculously stylish roof.
