It was the early Eighties I think when I first went into an MFI.

Life It was the early eighties I think when I first went into an MFI. Our family had finally decided to buy a wardrobe (that sat in my room for well over a decade until the back finally fell through). My memory of the trip is dim, but I remember being plonked in the sparse children's play area with some lego but was quickly bored and decided to hunt around the shop for my parents. I remember walking through the fitted kitchen samples, whole rooms reconstructed in-store, realising even at that young age and these cupboards and drawers and sink fittings were nothing like the make shift hand me downs we had at home. It seemed magical, like a palace, and with my small legs went on forever.

Woolworths is also a brand which always seems to have been there, though unlike the furniture warehouse it's somewhere I've shopped a lot. I buy my Easter eggs there and they're always a good place to pick up cheap dvds and cds. For ages the tat in my room was stacked in plastic storage boxes bought there, and I suspect there isn't a room in the flat which doesn't have something which originated in Woolies. But also I was knew the retailer wouldn't survive. The likes of Tesco moved into its turf, Metros and even Expresses offering cds and magazine, blank media and sometimes at even more competitive prices. It's too diverse in its product range, and with a reputation for not being exceptional at any one thing, though I hear the children's departments are very good.

It's happened before; When C&A, or place I used to buy my school trousers, died it was unusual, a once in a decade occurance. The loss of these two businesses confirms that no one is safe from the onslaught of what I still think will become a depression, even shops with ninety-nine years worth of high street service, disappearing. An interesting knock-on effect for some of us in relation to the Woolworths implosion is that they have a stake in 2Entertain, who for the past half decade have been publish the BBC's dvd releases and particularly Doctor Who. For now, that looks safe, and BBC Worldwide who own the other stake are looking to buy the business outright.

But obviously the more important concern is for the thousands of people who are looking at signing on next week. I should just be happy that I have a job at all in this climate. I'd hate to be starting from scratch again right now.