Eccles is set to lose yet another part of its rich heritage with the news that Barrys store on the corner of Liverpool Road and Bright Road is to close its doors for the final time.
The shop has been operating on this site since 1981 and has catered for workwear and clothing for the larger gentleman with its biggest size being 7XL, as proclaimed in large and prominent signs overlooking Liverpool Road.
Incredibly enough the owners moved to Eccles after their first premises – also called Barrys – in Moss Side, Manchester, was burned down in the riots of 1981.
It’s become something of an institution in daily Eccles life, but its last day of trading is expected to be Friday 18 December 2015.
Now the building, 28-30 Liverpool Road, including a storeroom at 1A Bright Road, has gone on the market with WT Gunston for offers in the region of £325,000.
Before it became Barrys, the premises was part of the Deans store – several sets of shops on the row including a grocers and a clothes shop with distinctive imposing brickwork frontage.
Further down Deans sold carpets and furniture and were a highly respectable store fondly remembered by many local people.
The earliest available photograph is from the Edwardian era, showing the premises as R. Webb grocer’s store.
© Salford Local History Library
SalfordOnline.com spoke to the owner of the store, David Barry, who told us a little more of the shop’s history and dispelled the myth that there was actually a man called Barry who the shop was named after.
“My father Jim had the shop there since 1947 selling gentlemen’s clothing, pretty much the same as we have been doing here for the past 34 years.
“Our best sellers over the years have been school uniforms, industrial safety wear and work boots.
“We also sell underwear in large sizes, waterproof clothing, shirts, jumpers, basically anything that you required.
“Over the years we have built up a dedicated following of regular customers who we shall all miss, as we are known as being a friendly store where customers could shop at ease.
“It is getting harder for anybody to run a small business like ours these days.
“I am retiring after 20 years because we have nobody to carry on the shop’s name.
“We have two members of staff who have been with me all these years and we think it’s time to close for good.”
It seemed rather sad looking around Barrys Store for the last time, at rows of empty shelves with adverts for Farah slacks, Rockford jeans, Rael Brook shirts, Duke clothing and Click boots, names that will mean nothing to the fashion-conscious youngsters of today.
We leave the last word to David Barry who told us: “When I have sold the last pair of socks and pulled the shutters down for the last time I’ll wonder what I will be doing in my retirement years.”
All images by SalfordOnline.com Community Reporter Albert@itookyourpic.com
