Six shops we wish would return to Glasgow's high street

Glasgow has always been a treasure trove of great stores, from big-name brands on Buchanan Street to the little independent boutiques of the West End.

But there are so many shops that have been confined to the history books, and names we never see when we're walking down a high street or through a shopping centre.

We've taken a look at some shops we wish would make a comeback to Glasgow.

Virgin Megastore

Virgin Megastore was such an experience for any music lover, with multiple floors and hundreds of rows of the latest LPs, CDs, videos, DVDs and games.

Try before you buy was a given here, as people lined up to get a shot on the headphones where they could have a listen to the latest single or album. 

Chelsea Girl

Everyone today knows River Island, with two stores in the city centre alone. But in a bygone era, this fashion store was known as Chelsea Girl.

Pictured on Argyle Street in 1981, this store was the ultimate destination for fashionistas through multiple generations, from the mini-skirts of the 1960s to ra-ra skirts in the 1980s.

The store closed in 1988 and the company eventually evolved to become River Island which sells both women's and men's clothing. 

Woolworths

It wasn't a trip into town without a stop in Woolworths - or Woolies as it was affectionately known.

From jewellery and make-up to toys and pic 'n' mix, Woolworths had something for every member of the family. 

The company was one that sadly did not survive the 2008 financial crisis, as it went into administration and more than 800 stores in the UK were forced to close. 

Watt Brothers

In terms of department stores, Watt Brothers was a big name in Glasgow. This iconic store lived for almost a century within the cast-iron windows and stone columns of this magnificent building on the corner of Sauchiehall Street.

Opened in 1915, the family-run store provided Glaswegian shoppers with menswear, ladieswear, homeware, gifts, beauty products - pretty much anything you needed.

The doors of this famous store closed in 2019 after the firm went into administration, and the unit remains empty, a haunting reminder of how great it once was as nothing has come close to replacing it. 

Blockbuster

The Netflix and Amazon Prime generation will probably never understand how special a trip to Blockbuster was. Many of us will still have fond memories of heading there after work or school on a Friday night, choosing a film to watch with the family and making sure to stock up on sweets at Tesco. 

The American video rental retailer had over 9000 stores across the world in its heyday, but it faced significant financial challenges as well as stiff competition from streaming services.

Today, only one Blockbuster remains - in the US town of Bend, Oregon. 

Borders

Just off the Royal Exchange Square used to be a big-name bookstore, Borders. For 20 years, this store kept shoppers stocked with fiction novels in every genre, biographies, cookbooks and more.

We're used to seeing famous faces in swanky restaurants or nightclubs, there were a few interesting celebrities to have visited the city centre store in its glory years. Sir David Attenborough, Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and Monica Lewinsky took part in book signings at the store.

Which store do you miss most in Glasgow?