Boxing Day sale at Lewis's department store in Liverpool. December 26, 1989(Image: Mirrorpix)

47 photos of shopping in Liverpool as we remember it in the 80s

by · Liverpool Echo

From how our high streets looked to the shops that called them home

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Before the days of self-service tills, card payments and being able to buy stuff online - this is what shopping was like in our city. From popular shops of the time to how our high streets looked, our brilliant photographs captured a number of moments from 80s Liverpool.

Courtesy of our archives Mirrorpix, these images show how we shopped in Liverpool between 1980 and 1989. For generations who were around at that time, these photographs are bound to spark some memories - and for those who weren't, they offer a window into our past.

The majority of our images capture shoppers walking along Church Street and the businesses which once called the city centre home. Others show market traders or inside lost department stores like Blacklers and Lewis's.

READ MORE: Liverpool pub 'full of characters' remembered for its 'sticky carpets'

READ MORE: 'Liverpool's smallest pub' seen in rare 80s photograph

We recently took a look back at photos of shopping days in the city from the 1970s. And now, we've delved back into the archives for the following decade.

Here, we take a look at just 47 photos of shopping in Liverpool as generations will remember it in the 80s. See more in our gallery below.

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  1. The first day of the sales after Christmas, Liverpool. December 27, 1985
    1 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  2. Boxing Day sale at Lewis's department store in Liverpool. December 26, 1989
    2 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  3. Inside Blacklers Department Store, on the corner of Elliott Street and Great Charlotte Street, Liverpool. A child on a rocking horse in the toy department. December 11, 1987
    3 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  4. Inside Blacklers Department Store. December 2, 1985
    4 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  5. Blacklers Department Store, Liverpool city centre. December 2, 1985
    5 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  6. Clayton Square, Liverpool. December 15, 1983
    6 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  7. Huddled up against the winter snow, shoppers in a strangely quiet Church Street during the morning. February 11, 1985
    7 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  8. Liverpool's Cavern Walks. December 3, 1984
    8 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  9. Church Street. December 12, 1980
    9 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  10. Church Street in Liverpool in October 1984
    10 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  11. General scene of Church Street, October 1989
    11 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  12. Jim Kennefick (left) and John Robinson surrounded by Liverpool mementoes in the Souvenir Shop at Anfield Stadium. March 1981
    12 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  13. Christmas shoppers on Bold Street, Liverpool. November 24, 1986
    13 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  14. Sales at Hills of Liverpool, Moss Street. March 4, 1981
    14 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  15. The scene in Ranelagh Street, Liverpool. December 5, 1987
    15 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  16. F W Woolworth Department Store, Liverpool. March 11, 1982
    16 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  17. The first day of the sales after Christmas, Liverpool. Queues at Cavern Walks. December 1985
    17 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  1. The first day of the sales after Christmas, Liverpool. December 27, 1985
    18 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  2. The man behind the success at the bargain basement at Blackers, Mr. George Joblin after joining TJ Hughes, pictured with a basket of goodies in the store at London Road. November 21, 1988
    19 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  3. The new glassware department at TJ Hughes store in Liverpool. September 1986
    20 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  4. Liverpool's famous bookshop Philip Son and Nephew in Whitechapel, prepares to close its doors for the last time. Mr Mason Porter, Miss Edith Davies and Mr Ken Elliott sort out bargain buys on offer to the last customers. April 1983
    21 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  5. Bookshop, Philip Son & Nephew Ltd, Liverpool. January 21, 1981
    22 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  6. St Johns Shopping Centre, the new market area from the balcony. November 19, 1981
    23 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  7. Curtains rails at Rapid Hardware store. June 7, 1985
    24 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  8. .Tile selection at Rapid Hardware store. March 25, 1986
    25 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  9. Dolcis shoe shop on Church Street in Liverpool in July 1989
    26 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  10. Hepworths Tailoring on the corner of Church Street and Paradise Street in Liverpool circa 1980
    27 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  1. George Henry Lee and Marks and Spencer on Church Street in Liverpool in October 1989
    28 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  2. A view of the Church Street traders, at the end of the day. July 16, 1989
    29 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  3. Geoff Davies of Probe record shop and Probe Plus independent record label, pictured at Shop, HQ in Button Street, Liverpool. January 10, 1989
    30 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  4. St Johns Precinct, Liverpool. Circa 1980
    31 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  5. Hats off for the new St Johns Market in Liverpool, which re-opens almost two years after the fire that devastated it. Pictured - T White Butchers, left to right, Michael White, Dave Easthope, Colin Chambers, Benny Chambers and Les Dineley. November 24, 1981
    32 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  6. Steve Duff of Cheeky Chops Butchers at St Johns Market, Liverpool. January 27, 1989
    33 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  7. The well stocked toy department at Lewis's department store, Liverpool. December 5, 1980
    34 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  8. Brenda Dakin of Thorntons, with a display of Easter Eggs, Liverpool. March 21, 1986
    35 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  9. Michelle Barton, new Thorntons Champion Toffee smasher from the St James precinct store of Thorntons chocolate cabins. November 30, 1988
    36 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  10. Crowds outside TJ Hughes store in London Road, Liverpool. October 1983
    37 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  1. Exterior View of TJ Hughes store in London Road, Liverpool. October 12, 1987
    38 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  2. Cilla Black opens the refurbished St Johns market. Pictured, Cilla during her tour of the precinct. October 21, 1989
    39 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  3. Looking up Renshaw Street towards St Lukes Church and the Anglican Cathedral. May 26, 1982
    40 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  4. The new Clayton Square Shopping Centre. November 9, 1988
    41 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  5. Curtain Dream in Clayton Square Shopping Centre showing the as yet unoccupied shops next to it. June 22, 1989
    42 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  6. The Chairman of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Dorothy Gavin, visits Rushworths Music House to mark the firm's 160th anniversary. She is pictured here with guitar salesman Greg Davies (seated), Alastair Rushworth (Managing Director, Rushworth Organ Builders) and right, James Rushworth (Chairman). November 9, 1988
    43 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  7. An exterior view of the toy shop Hobbies in Liverpool. Circa 1980
    44 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  8. Shoppers at the perfume counter in Lewis department store, Liverpool city centre, in the Christmas period. December 5, 1980
    45 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  9. A view of the Church Street traders. July 16, 1989
    46 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)
  10. A view of the Church Street traders at the end of the day. July 1989
    47 of 47(Image: Mirrorpix)