Old WHSmith Logo

[Mobbd]

I've got a real bonk-on for the old WHSmith logo. I'm not weird. You're weird.

They should bring it back company-wide, but they're probably teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

https://blog.whsmith.co.uk/a-step-back-in-time-the-whsmith-cube-logo-225/

[Twonty Gostelow]

I got one of the limited release ones in Aberystwyth a couple of years ago and meant to fold it up and keep it for posterity, but I used it to line the kitchen bin by mistake.

I have other anecdotes.

[greenman]

The most brutalist of corporate logos.

[PaulTMA]

Definitely should, it's great.  They seemed to just go down the route of looking like a shit John Menzies when they took over ownership.

[canadagoose]

It's got a very nostalgic feel. Seeing it reminds me of the excitement of going to the WH Smith's in Carlisle (before John Menzies was taken over, which is what we had in my home town). Two floors of all sorts of interesting stuff, from CDs and books to weird little dice.

[Fambo Number Mive]

WH Smith could probably make some money selling bags/wrapping paper with the old logo online.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

Goldsmith - makes gold items
Silversmith - makes silver items
Blacksmith - makes black iron items.
WHSmith - makes WHitems?

[I.D. Smith]

I was there, working for John Menzies during the big takeover by WH Smith in '99. Oh the tales I could tell, like when we had to start promoting their Clubcard, or when we had to try and sell 5 Gel Pens a day to customers.

Great days.

[DrGreggles]

WH Smith could probably make some money selling bags/wrapping paper with the old logo online.

Or selling the chocolate they keep trying to flog at the counter at its full price.

"50p for a KitKat Chunky?"
"I don't like KitKats - and don't call me chunky..."

[Fambo Number Mive]

Does anyone, aside from writers, actually like WHSmith now? They seem to have relied on sales at railway stations but I imagine rail travel will be down for the next year or so. They seriously need to rethink how they do business or they will go under. I only went in there for Private Eye and Viz (which I subscribe to online now) and the odd book of stamps. They had a reasonable book selection though.

[lazyhour]

They definitely should bring the logo back. I think it's worked really well for the Co-op, who dusted off their 1968 logo a couple of years ago and got, as far as I can tell, nothing but praise for doing so.

[Icehaven]

I impulse bought a book on offer from Smiths at New St. about 3 years ago, and apart from a few magazines I think that's the only thing I've bought from them in about 15 years. They used to have some good post-Christmas sales, daft gadgets and toys that were originally overpriced now greatly reduced, but the last few times I bothered checking it was just old books clearly no one wanted.

[beanheadmcginty]

The branch of WHSmith in Tonbridge still has the old logo sign proudly displayed on the rear of the shop.

[The Culture Bunker]

It's got a very nostalgic feel. Seeing it reminds me of the excitement of going to the WH Smith's in Carlisle (before John Menzies was taken over, which is what we had in my home town). Two floors of all sorts of interesting stuff, from CDs and books to weird little dice.

Eh, I know exactly what you mean. The Smiths in my hometown was actually not too bad, as it was one of two places you could find CDs and computer games, but the one in Carlisle was at least twice the size. When I was eight or so, my mam would leave me there reading the football magazines while she arsed about in Binns* or whatever.

* name of a department store, I don't mean she was ratching around in shite people had thrown away**
** insert joke about doing so getting you better quality items than in Binns the shop.

[imitationleather]

If Smiths goes down how will the Telegraph manipulate their circulation numbers if no longer able to do so by giving copies away with bottles of water?

[bgmnts]

If you like this logo you are objectively wrong.

[flotemysost]

they're probably teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

From what I gather they've actually not done too badly in recent circumstances, as even small towns with next to fuck all in the high street will quite often have a WH Smith, so what with people less willing/able to travel far for shopping over the past few months they've been sort of OK, I think. Though I doubt the "travel" stores in airports and stations have fared too well.

That logo is great though. Just be thankful it didn't end up like the below atrocity.

[The Ombudsman]

The branch of WHSmith in Tonbridge still has the old logo sign proudly displayed on the rear of the shop.

Came to say the same thing. I enjoy looking it from time to time, in summer when I donate blood at the angle centre. Attended a talk on Transcendental Meditation there too.

Is it still owned by Desmond?

[Johnny Yesno]

Goldsmith - makes gold items

Made music, actually.

They definitely should bring the logo back. I think it's worked really well for the Co-op, who dusted off their 1968 logo a couple of years ago and got, as far as I can tell, nothing but praise for doing so.

I think they would have preferred money, tbh.

[Blue Jam]

iirc WHSmith have also got some kind of monopoly on distribution and that's the majority of their business these days. What does that involve? Delivering newspapers, books and magazines from the printers to the supermarkets?

They should make like the Co-op and return to the old logo, yes.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I got one of the limited release ones in Aberystwyth a couple of years ago and meant to fold it up and keep it for posterity, but I used it to line the kitchen bin by mistake.

...or some other Morrissey lyric.

[Blue Jam]

More like a Pulp lyric

[sirhenry]

If you like this logo you are objectively wrong.

I doubt that; any design that is still being used after more than three thousand years must have something going for it.

Other than being royalty-free, obviously.

[drummersaredeaf]

iirc WHSmith have also got some kind of monopoly on distribution and that's the majority of their business these days. What does that involve? Delivering newspapers, books and magazines from the printers to the supermarkets?

They should make like the Co-op and return to the old logo, yes.

Yeah, sounds about right. One of my dad's many white van jobs that I used to tag along on was dumping bundles of papers and grot mags on door steps at 4am[nb]28 years old, I was[/nb]. Like a pornographic Santa.

[Shit Good Nose]

They've also been able to stay open during the lockdowns on account of selling newspapers, magazines and stamps.  I'm sure the rest of the shop (the "non essential") should probs have been barricaded off like a lot of supermarkets did in lockdown 1, but the one in Bath was fully open.  Assuming they've carried that on all the way through across most or all stores, I expect they've seen a bit of an upturn in general business.

[Replies From View]

Definitely should, it's great.  They seemed to just go down the route of looking like a shit John Menzies when they took over ownership.

Looking like John Menzies was the holy grail for them once they bought up the rights to their identity.

[studpuppet]

The olld livery is still adorning the delivery bays of Redcar and Tonbridge:

https://twitter.com/Bob_Fischer/status/1273984612776251392/photo/2

[Captain Z]

SMH

[dissolute ocelot]

The cube only seems quirky because all their other design was seemingly done on the basis of being as boring as possible, which if you're already called Smith is one step up from calling your business THE SHOP (or THESHOP. Who needs spaces between letters?) At least with Menzies despite being named after a boring Scottish person you never knew how it was pronounced. Endless fun.

[Brundle-Fly]

I used to like the old NSS Newsagents logo. The old shop was opposite WHSmith in my home town. A bit David & Goliath IIRC