When Woolworth’s was king

woolworthsIf there was a nuclear core of my childhood, it was probably the Woolworth’s store on Main Street in my hometown, which sat next to a W.T. Grant, which was across the street from an S.S. Kresge.

My home milltown had a vibrant downtown and if you were a kid with a couple of pennies, which you might have lifted from your mother’s purse and still won’t say out loud, you headed for Woolworth’s.

You bought a 45 record. Or a fish. Or maybe you had a frankfurter, as we called them then. They were 10 cents.

For the longest time, I’ve thought it would be great to walk into the long-closed Woolworth’s in downtown St. Paul and soak in the memories.

Why is this news today? Because the Pioneer Press’ Frederick Melo did. And because it’s all about to be wiped away.