Lost Liverpool shop 'never charged more than 50p for anything'

A lost Liverpool shop that "never charged more than 50p for anything" was visited by generations of children who loved to spend their pocket money there. Today, Bold Street is one of Liverpool's city centre's best-known streets and is a haven of amazing shops and restaurants.

It's changed massively over the years and we've welcomed and said goodbye to a number of venues. But certain generations will remember the days of heading to Bold Street to visit Morgan's Famous 50p Store - which, as its name explains, sold hundreds of items that cost 50p each.

The business first opened its doors in 1983 and proved to be an immediate success. Owned by Chris Morgan, the concept of selling all goods, ranging from toiletries to tools and food to stationery for the same price – 50p – was unheard of.

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Chris, a former market trader, previously told the ECHO how it was a nerve-wracking first day for him and his family opening his new venture on Bold Street. He said: "We gambled everything, the house, the lot, and were down to our last £60 before we opened.

"We spent £50 on an advert in the ECHO and £10 on a very nervous meal the night before the opening. Fortunately, the ad did the trick, because when we opened we had a queue down Bold Street and had to limit the number of people coming in.

"It was quite a sight to see the queues in Bold Street." One image, courtesy of our archives, shows Chris outside the Bold Street shop and many will remember Morgan's Famous 50p Store as it's seen here.

An advertisement from the Liverpool ECHO in 1993 - the shop's tenth year in business - also offers a glimpse into items available in store at the time. This included tools, toys, housewares, ornaments, toiletries, silk flowers, cigarette lighters, baby items, electronic pocket calculators and more.

The ad reads: "Probably the most amazing shopping experience that you are ever likely to have. We are the UK's leading stock disposal experts and we fill our shops with manufacturers end of ranges, importers clearances and liquidation stocks.

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"The really clever thing is that no matter what its original price, we never charge more than 50p for anything in store." The 50p shop was another firm favourite in the city and many ECHO readers have recalled bagging many a bargain there.

Paul Jones previously said: "The 50p shop! My nan used to take me there for a toy on the way round town on a Saturday morning when I was too young to go to the match (4/5 years old) what a consolation."

Amanda Young said: "Definitely the 50p shop! I got the soap on a rope for the uncles and crystal ornaments for the aunties at Christmas from there." Jo Ferns added: "Morgan's 50p shop! I used to spend my pocket money in there!"

But in 1999, the shop as we came to know it changed. On July 15, the ECHO reported how Chris was merging Morgan's 50p shop with its sister store All For One, on the other side of Bold Street – where most items were £1.

At the time, he said: "Within a month it spawned copious imitations, but now I am the only one left in the UK. "We'll still sell some items two for £1."

For the dedicated bargain hunters, there was a closing down sale where 50p items were half price. It's now been years since customers shopped at Morgan's Famous 50p Store, but it still lives on in the memories of those who went there.