What was your 1990s retail highlight in these two streets?
From time to time, we like to take a look at the Sunderland shopping scene from years gone by.
And as it has been a while since our last sojourn, we thought we would window browse along two streets not too far from each other.
And we are doing it in 1993 by putting the spotlight on Chester Road and Hylton Road.
Hylton Road had plenty to offer the shopper, including for new parents and parents-to-be at The Pram Shop.
The Pram Shop had taken over in the street in the former premises of Parnaby’s which had been there since the 1880s.
By 1993, The Pram Shop had been going for about five years in Hylton Road with owners Ron Burton and his wife Margaret selling everything from prams to pottys.
Push chairs, high walkers, cots and stair gates they had the lot. Did you pay it a visit?
If the chillier nights did not appeal, why not get away from it all? And the place to sort that out was George Bell Travel where you could get anything from a coach trip to a wool mill, to a fortnight abroad.
Or how does a four-day trip to Holland sound? In 1993, it would cost you just £99.
If you wanted to get away while doing it closer to home, Discount Motor Parts could ensure your car was up to scratch. Steering racks, batteries, wheel locks and alternators - it had the lot.
Harrison’s Studios was another way of warming up - especially if you fancied learning anything from tap to modern dancing and acrobatic to ballet.
But what was your favourite, in 1993 or in any other year.
Get in touch and tell us more by emailing chris. cordner@jpress.co.uk.
Over on Chester Road, the range of outlets was just as impressive. First class meat and poultry from Mackintosh’s and farm fresh turkeys in time for Christmas.
And if you wanted a new kitchen to cook your festive meal on, there were wood and laminate varieties from the Wearside Kitchen Centre. It had moved to Chester Road after 17 successful years of trading as Wearside Trade Warehouse at High Street West. Over at Dano Fine Arts, lovers of tapestry, wools, threads and kits were in their element. Customers could choose from 475 tapestry wools or 444 stranded cottons. There were canvases, embroidery kits, books, charts and decoupage papers to enjoy and owner Alan Dano said at the time that it was the ideal place to start your hunt for that year’s Christmas presents.
Portraits from photographs in pastels or oils was a definite option.
Mind you, sometimes if you were under the weather, all you would want was the latest remedy for your ailment.
And if that was the case, then the traditional family chemist L. Storey was the place to be.
Electrical retailer Parry’s was another well-established Chester Road trader and it had been there for more than 25 years by 1993.
To give you a reminder of the times, Top of the Pops was on television and it featured Terence Trent D’Arby, 2 Unlimited and Culture Beat.
Also on BBC1, Nicholas Lyndhurst was starring in a new series called Goodnight Sweetheart where he played a TV repairman who could travel between present day Britain and a war-torn 1940 alternative.
Over on BBC2, Gregor Fisher was one of the main attractions in Rab C Nesbitt. Top Gear had Tiff Needell testing the latest diesel offerings.
And on Tyne Tees Television, Tug was attempting a reconciliation with Sarah in Home and Away.
Chris and Zoe were in the middle of a new revelation in Emmerdale, and The Bill was all about a drug addict.
Later that evening, The Upper Hand starred Joe McGann and Diana Weston.
Viewers could also enjoy Channel 4 where hit programmes included the quiz show Fifteen-To-One, the Oprah Winfrey Show, Gamesmaster and Wildshots.
But what are your memories of Sunderland in 1993?
Which were your favourite shops and what did you love to buy from them?
Is there another aspect of Sunderland and Wearside’s past you would like us to look at?
Get in touch and tell us more.
Email chris.cordner@ jpress.co.uk with all of your memories.
What are your best memories of the old shops of Chester and Hylton Roads.