Nostalgic about equipment retailers...Kodak Automatic Tray Siphon from Woolco!

I was quite surprised to see a Woolco price sticker on the original box containing a Kodak Automatic Tray Siphon. Maybe from the 1970's?

My first job was at Woolco. It was at the North Vancouver store in 1973. I was 16 - 17 years old.
As far as I can remember there was no camera or photographic department in that particular store.
But it did have me - my job was making the in store announcements.
"Good afternoon customers and welcome to Woolco. In the centre aisle today we have ladies' socks at a special price of 1/3 off.
We have a good selection of sizes, patterns and colours. Please have the sales clerk in attendance mark your purchase!"
Some memories just don't go away!

Those are nice, I picked up a new one a while back as a spare.

MattKing said:

My first job was at Woolco. It was at the North Vancouver store in 1973. I was 16 - 17 years old.
As far as I can remember there was no camera or photographic department in that particular store.
But it did have me - my job was making the in store announcements.
"Good afternoon customers and welcome to Woolco. In the centre aisle today we have ladies' socks at a special price of 1/3 off.
We have a good selection of sizes, patterns and colours. Please have the sales clerk in attendance mark your purchase!"
Some memories just don't go away!

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Matt, I think we are about the same age. I worked at the local Hy-Vee supermarket. Started as a "bag boy" ended up as head of aisle 2, canned fruits and vegetables, sugar and flour, baking goods. I started when I turned 16 in December of 72. Didn't sell any cool darkroom stuff though. All my money went to Times Camera, just down the street.
Mike

ic-racer said:

Those are nice, I picked up a new one a while back as a spare.

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I think if I looked I have 3.

In the late 70s here in South Africa, one of the large department stores even sold colour development kits (Photocolor II).

afriman said:

In the late 70s here in South Africa, one of the large department stores even sold colour development kits (Photocolor II).

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Thanks for bringing up that bad memory. I remember buying a film developing kit in the late sixties. Trays, not plastic reels, those I discovered later. I can remember being in tears uncurling that uncooperative roll of 127 film. What a fiasco. bk

BKP said:

Thanks for bringing up that bad memory. I can remember being in tears uncurling that uncooperative roll of 127 film.

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That also brings back memories for me. I stole (er, liberated (it was the 60's, just)) some bowls from the kitchen and with a Tri-Chem pack I proceeded to make a balls-up of the whole affair. Developer splattered all over the closet every time the wet film snapped out of my fingers and rolled up in a tight little gordian knot.

The Sears department store chain the US had a large photographic department, again early 60's, and private labeled Ricoh cameras. Montgomery Ward, a mail/order/department store chain had a large photographic catalog - used to sell Leica, Zeiss, Rolleiflex (and a fondly remembered $14.97 Agfa Solina, well it would have been more fondly remembered if it wasn't for the green goo).

Back then we had 4 photographic stores within cycling distance; one a really nice mom&pop with a large display case of used Leica gear - lasted until 2008 (?).