Remember these Glasgow shops we loved Christmas shopping in?

Nowadays we scour the net for Black Friday deals and get roped in by the ease of extended returns, free delivery and doing everything from the warmth and comfort of our couch.

But for many, the act of going Christmas shopping is just as special as the process of wrapping, putting them under the tree and seeing the looks on our loved one’s faces when they open them on December 25.

With only a handful of department stores left in Glasgow, we’re taking a look back at some of the most well-known and loved shops we miss browsing for gifts in.

Lewis’s

Christmas shopping isn’t the same without giving young ones a chance to sit on Santa Claus’ lap and ask for the

It is a staple part of the festive shopping experience in Glasgow, and one of the stores which arranged it was Lewis’s.

Located on Argyle Street from 1929 until it closed in the late 1990s, Lewis’s was home to the city’s first ‘moving stairs’, which Glaswegians marvelled at during shopping trips.

Watt Brothers

Opened in 1915, this family-run department store had everything you could need for a happy Christmas, with gifts ranging from clothing to accessories, perfumes to homeware.

Despite closing in 2019, the Glasgow shop remains an historic part of the high street and it’s no wonder that when the firm entered administration and a closure was looming, crowds of Glaswegians piled outside to get one last shopping spree.

Nothing has ever occupied the stunning cast-iron corner unit since – and what could come close?

Pettigrew & Stephens

Another Sauchiehall Street institution, Pettigrew & Stephens was founded in 1888 and, again, it made Christmas shopping in Glasgow an experience in itself with its authentic decorations throughout each department.

Toys, clothes, sweets, furniture and even China was sold in this shop, which at the beginning of World War I was the largest department store in Scotland.

The firm entered voluntary liquidation in 1955 and was merged with House of Fraser, so it has sadly not been on our list of Christmas shopping destinations for a long time.

Arnott Simpson

First opened in 1850 on Jamaica Street, Arnotts was originally a drapery until it was acquired by the trustees of the City of Glasgow bank and became a department store.

It soon became known as Arnott Simpson when businessman John Arnott merged with Robert Simpson, and both were acquired by Fraser Sons & Co., but the name Arnott Simpson prevailed.

This photo taken in the 1960s showcases a typical Christmas window display, where shoppers could browse the latest styles illuminated by festive lights and beautifully decorated trees.

What Every Woman Wants

Founder Gerald Weisfeld and his wife Vera (Image: Newsquest)

Anyone who wasn’t sure what to get their wife, mother, sister, or daughter at Christmas time only had to come here – the clue is in the name!

Much like the TK Maxx of its time, WEWW was founded in Glasgow in 1971 and aimed to bring women’s fashion ‘at prices that people could afford’.

At its peak, it had immeasurable success and soon expanded to a national chain of 130 stores.

The Argyle Street store was one of the first to close in the early 2000s, when the brand was passed through several owners and eventually all stores closed when no buyers offered enough money to administrators.

A sad demise for what was once a popular store with all our festive shopping needs.