Tim Worstall

4 responses so far ↓

• 1 Kay Tie // Nov 23, 2008 at 7:47 pm

  Sale on! Hurry, while Woothworth’s Lasts!

• 2 Matthew // Nov 23, 2008 at 9:06 pm

  Can we buy woolies for 90p now then?

  Presumably the ‘friends and family’ bit is Threshers Mark II, but I guess 10% is 10%.

• 3 diogenes1960 // Nov 24, 2008 at 12:55 am

  but what do they actually sell in Woolies these days, apart from pick ‘n’ mix?

• 4 gene berman // Nov 26, 2008 at 5:26 pm

  In the summer of 1951, I was hitch-hiking around the country. For several days, I was in the vicinity of Tucson, AZ and, walking down a city street one day, saw a sign in a Woolworth’s:

  39 cents BREAKFAST 39 cents
  2 eggs—any style
  buttered toast
  coffee

  That was a bargain; such a breakfast would have normally been about 60 cents, even a bit more.

  I went in, took a seat at the (crowded) counter, and ordered the “39-cent special.”

  While waiting, I watched the cook making many such breakfasts. Again and again, I saw her crack but a single egg into the small pans she was using. It was obvious: they were using “double-yolkers!”

  When I was served, I explained my observation to the waitress–rather quietly. She explained to me, “It really is two eggs—they just come in one shell.” I told her: “Then the box of a dozen double-yolkers should say ’24 eggs,’ shouldn’t it?”

  She said, “Excuse me a minute,” and walked away. When she returned, she’d brought another order, including toast. I suppose she was somewhat grateful that I hadn’t alerted the other patrons to the dodge.

  As a side note, on the outskirts of town was a large roadside produce stand. Superb large cantelopes were “5 cents, 6 for a quarter.” I asked the guy whether I could pay for 6, store them in the Coca-Cola cooler, and come back for them time to time. He said “Sure,” and that’s what I did. The “good ol’ days” really were!

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