Joke shop nostalgia (2 Viewers)

[tommydazzle]

Anyone remember the joke shop which I think used to be somewhere near the Elastic Inn. When we were kids we used to buy all kinds of stuff in there. Stink bombs to let off in the lifts at Owen & Owen, fake turds, fake blood, smoking monkeys (no idea how a plastic figure could blow perfect smoke rings!), itching powder etc. Unbelievable now that a shop could survive selling stuff for pocket money amounts. In my mind's nose I can still smell the strange chemical interior of that shabby looking shop.

 

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[Otis]

Anyone remember the joke shop which I think used to be somewhere near the Elastic Inn. When we were kids we used to buy all kinds of stuff in there. Stink bombs to let off in the lifts at Owen & Owen, fake turds, fake blood, smoking monkeys (no idea how a plastic figure could blow perfect smoke rings!), itching powder etc. Unbelievable now that a shop could survive selling stuff for pocket money amounts. In my mind's nose I can still smell the strange chemical interior of that shabby looking shop.

Ah, all that was you was it!!!! Grrrr!!!!

 

[fernandopartridge]

Anyone remember the joke shop which I think used to be somewhere near the Elastic Inn. When we were kids we used to buy all kinds of stuff in there. Stink bombs to let off in the lifts at Owen & Owen, fake turds, fake blood, smoking monkeys (no idea how a plastic figure could blow perfect smoke rings!), itching powder etc. Unbelievable now that a shop could survive selling stuff for pocket money amounts. In my mind's nose I can still smell the strange chemical interior of that shabby looking shop.

I don't remember that. I do remember Jokers Corner? which was by the Odeon?

 

[Otis]

I don't remember that. I do remember Jokers Corner? which was by the Odeon?

Yep, that's correct.

 

[tommydazzle]

Ah, all that was you was it!!!! Grrrr!!!!

Yup were street urchins in those days. All you needed for hours of fun on the top deck of the 21 Wood End bus was a box of dried peas and a peashooter. No pedestrians were safe from 4 or 5 urchins and our rapid fire technique.

 

[Nick]

Used to love the bangers you threw at the floor.

Probably get armed police taking you down nowadays if you did that in a city centre.

 

[tommydazzle]

I don't remember that. I do remember Jokers Corner? which was by the Odeon?

Maybe I'm misremembering the location, I've got a vague recollection of a side street in quite a shabby area.

 

[Otis]

Used to love the bangers you threw at the floor.

Probably get armed police taking you down nowadays if you did that in a city centre.

You'll be fine then. You don't do the city centre.

 

[Captain Dart]

I don't remember that. I do remember Jokers Corner? which was by the Odeon?

I used it for all my stink bomb and itching power needs.

 

[tommydazzle]

Used to love the bangers you threw at the floor.

Probably get armed police taking you down nowadays if you did that in a city centre.

Same for cap guns probably - don't know if you can still buy such things. Remember getting badly burned under my thumbnail scratching at a cap. Used to come in long paper strips in a small round packet.

 

[Otis]

Same for cap guns probably - don't know if you can still buy such things. Remember getting badly burned under my thumbnail scratching at a cap. Used to come in long paper strips in a small round packet.

Yeah, remember them well. Have the sore arse to prove it.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I used it for all my stink bomb and itching power needs.

Having had a look, it's now located on Far Gosford St in part of the former Hand & Heart pub, only fancy dress thesedays though

 

[tommydazzle]

Yeah, remember them well. Have the sore arse to prove it.

You used to fire them internally?

 

[Otis]

You used to fire them internally?

Not always. We'd fire then outside as well.

 

[tommydazzle]

Thinking about it, I think it was also not too far from the cinema Alexandra theatre? Not sure if that is in the same area as the Elastic Inn. I'll ask my dad he might remember.

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

We used to leave a trail of stink bombs as we got off the bus. One on the top floor, one on the stairs and one by the driver as we got off the bus. Then run as fast as you could.

 

[SkyBlueScottie]

Wasn't it along from Shambles Arcade, anyway, remember it, whoopee cushions, bangers, fake cigs, great little place.

 

[bezzer]

The joke shop that was near the Odeon was the one I remember. Like Tommy, we used to drop stinkbombs in the Owen Owen lifts.
The best drop was when I was at school (Caludon Castle). School concert just before Christmas, I was doing some singing. 3 of us walked around the main hall just before it started and we dropped a couple of stinkbombs each. Never seen people move so quickly. They had to postpone the start by 20 minutes so they could clear the air :happy::happy:

 

[Gazolba]

There used to be a joke shop close to Highfield Road in Hillfields.
Can't find a good map of Coventry anywhere on the internet.
I think it was at the upper end of Primrose Hill St. But I might have the name of the street wrong.
I remember passing the shop when I walked up there with my Dad.
The window was always very amusing with stink bombs, fake poop and horror masks.

 

[tommydazzle]

There used to be a joke shop close to Highfield Road in Hillfields.
Can't find a good map of Coventry anywhere on the internet.
I think it was at the upper end of Primrose Hill St. But I might have the name of the street wrong.
I remember passing the shop when I walked up there with my Dad.
The window was always very amusing with stink bombs, fake poop and horror masks.

Could've been Ford Street, I think that's in the right area. My knowledge is a bit rusty too. It was a small single fronted shop I seem to remember. I always wanted some X-ray specs thinking I could see through girls' clothes. Probably get arrested merely for that thought now.

 

[Houchens Head]

There was indeed a Joke shop in Lower Ford Street. It was called Davenports, later to become C R Garlands, which closed in 1986. The joke shop in White Street (along from the side of the Gaumont / Odeon cinema) was called Jokers Corner.
C R Garlands in Lower Ford St...…..

And again...…..

And Jokers Corner by the Odeon.....

 

[tommydazzle]

Wow thanks H. Was beginning to doubt my memory. The Butts Grill looks very salubrious!

 

[Johnnythespider]

There was indeed a Joke shop in Lower Ford Street. It was called Davenports, later to become C R Garlands, which closed in 1986. The joke shop in White Street (along from the side of the Gaumont / Odeon cinema) was called Jokers Corner.
C R Garlands in Lower Ford St...…..
View attachment 11437
And again...…..
View attachment 11438
And Jokers Corner by the Odeon.....
View attachment 11439

Is that Mother Theresa peeping out of the C R Garlands window, mind she was always a bit of a joker

 

[Gazolba]

There was indeed a Joke shop in Lower Ford Street. It was called Davenports, later to become C R Garlands, which closed in 1986. The joke shop in White Street (along from the side of the Gaumont / Odeon cinema) was called Jokers Corner.
C R Garlands in Lower Ford St...…..
]

Just seems stupid from a marketing standpoint to have a huge sign saying 'C R Garland', what does that mean to anyone passing by in a car?
The sign should have said something like "Jokes R Us" or "Stink Bomb World".

 

[Houchens Head]

Just seems stupid from a marketing standpoint to have a huge sign saying 'C R Garland', what does that mean to anyone passing by in a car?
The sign should have said something like "Jokes R Us" or "Stink Bomb World".

I get what you're saying, but the same could be said about Owen Owen, Boots, Woolworths, WH Smiths etc, etc. When a name is well known, that's all you need, and back in the day, C R Garland was a well known joke shop.

 

[Johnnythespider]

Is that Mother Theresa peeping out of the C R Garlands window, mind she was always a bit of a joker

 

[tommydazzle]

On the shop nostalgia theme. I also remember a shop somewhere in the city centre, I think near the back of the Three Tuns pub near a domed newsagent?, that was a kind of small scale department store with just two floors and an escalator. As kids we were always fascinated because on the top floor they kept a large live fruit bat in a cage. Always checked this out when we went to town on a Saturday. I'm sure I haven't imagined this.

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

On the shop nostalgia theme. I also remember a shop somewhere in the city centre, I think near the back of the Three Tuns pub near a domed newsagent?, that was a kind of small scale department store with just two floors and an escalator. As kids we were always fascinated because on the top floor they kept a large live fruit bat in a cage. Always checked this out when we went to town on a Saturday. I'm sure I haven't imagined this.

Intershop!

 

[tommydazzle]

Intershop - didn't know that - I'm talking about the early seventies. I think Santa had his grotty grotto in there at Christmas if memory serves.

 

[Houchens Head]

On the shop nostalgia theme. I also remember a shop somewhere in the city centre, I think near the back of the Three Tuns pub near a domed newsagent?, that was a kind of small scale department store with just two floors and an escalator. As kids we were always fascinated because on the top floor they kept a large live fruit bat in a cage. Always checked this out when we went to town on a Saturday. I'm sure I haven't imagined this.

You're quite right TD. There was a bird cage in the City Arcade and the pet shop, Fanshaws, was just inside City Arcade. They had the bat, a monkey as well as kittens and puppies. Here's the bird cage...…..
.

 

[Houchens Head]

Intershop - didn't know that - I'm talking about the early seventies. I think Santa had his grotty grotto in there at Christmas if memory serves.

It was Benley's before Intershop. Cheap, tatty goods! It was always a joke that if someone came back from town with something that looked cheap it was always met with, "Where did you buy that? Benley's?" Or calling something a "Benley's reject" was really derogatory!

 

[Houchens Head]

Tommydazzle: Seeing as you mentioned it earlier, The Dome newsagents...…………..

 

[Gazolba]

The guy to the right is looking in the window of Beryl Houghton's camera shop.
I bought some of my film and photo equipment from them, but they were a bit snooty unless you were buying something expensive.

 

[Gazolba]

On the shop nostalgia theme. I also remember a shop somewhere in the city centre, I think near the back of the Three Tuns pub near a domed newsagent?, that was a kind of small scale department store with just two floors and an escalator. As kids we were always fascinated because on the top floor they kept a large live fruit bat in a cage. Always checked this out when we went to town on a Saturday. I'm sure I haven't imagined this.

There was also a pet shop along Smithford way that had a bat. I remember it hanging upside down in the shop. I often used to pop in there to see it. It had a really cute face and big eyes.

 

[Houchens Head]

There was also a pet shop along Smithford way that had a bat. I remember it hanging upside down in the shop. I often used to pop in there to see it. It had a really cute face and big eyes.

Same family that owned the City Arcade shop. They moved from Smithford Way to the City Arcade.