Comments on: So Long, General Woodwork Supplies

By: Stephen Donnelly

Stephen Donnelly — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 14:48:26 +0000

I remember working there along with Mark, David, Michael and Geoff 🙂 happy days back in the day, im sorry the place closed down, if you ever needed a “Gross” of something you knew you could get it there in General Woodwork Supplies, i remember a story about a sales pitch fixing a woodworm problem, if i remember right you needed (to get them buggers properly) 1 magnifying glass, 1 small pin hammer and a lot of patience, what you had to is look through the magnifying glass and if you see a woodworm, you had to knock it on the head with the pin hammer (and it had to be on the head) if that didn’t work you would would get some woodworm treatment 🙂 that’s one of my own stories, one of many…….

Stephen from Ireland 🙂

By: murray batley

murray batley — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 06:30:27 +0000

The most useful shop in east London, along with Clarks in Hackney Road. Just about anything you might need now lost to the mists of time…genuinely missed!

By: Martin

Martin — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 20:52:24 +0000

A great shop, fantastic people, always helpful, sad that they closed. I lived just behind on the common in 1979 & they must have supplied half the items I needed to refurbish the house.

By: Edy Trulli

Edy Trulli — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 10:41:04 +0000

I’m a generalist tradesman, have been living in Hackney for 25 years and was a regular customer at GWS.
I couldn’t it believe when Michael told me the shop was going to close down. So sad.
Reading this article literally brought me to tears (No kidding, they are still streaming as I type).
Looking at the photos I remember vividly every angle of that shop.
How many times I spent looking into those bins full of off-cuts trying to find a match for some pending job or another. Many, many jobs I have undertaken would not have been possible without those boys’ help. I got advice on building staircases, cabinets, and traditional sash windows.
Always approachable, professional, courteous and diligent but above all friendly. Once they got to know you and understood how far the jokes could go without offending your “customer’s sensibilities” it was one piss-take after another. I chatted with them, learned from them, joked with them and now I cry with them. What a great bunch they are. I wish all the staff from General Woodwork Supplies all the very best. They are now, and will continue to be, sorely missed.

By: jamharl

jamharl — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 09:02:06 +0000

It looks like they’ve got everything in one place. I believe they have written history in that place.

By: Charles Hawes

Charles Hawes — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:57:40 +0000

What a wonderful article. So leased to be reminded of this great shop. I went there a lot when I lived in Stoke Newington in the 80s. Fabulous place.

By: David Bentley

David Bentley — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:03:58 +0000

Thanks very much for putting together such a wonderful documentary of our family history !

By: simon turner

simon turner — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 19:41:35 +0000

I have known David, Michael and Geoff for 20 years and it was a very sad day when GWS closed. I bought everything from there and then had good try at clearing out their cellars before they finished trading. I found an original wooden till with handwritten till receipts dated 1947 along with all sorts of other paraphanalia. I wish them well for the future. They will be sorely missed in Stoke Newington. Where on earth am I going to get my panel pins wrapped in newspaper or weird bits of rare and unidentifiable bits of wood?

By: Maria nickells

Maria nickells — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:04:21 +0000

Seems like a great store! I own a family run hardware shop with my husband in Staffordshire, times are hard but we work long hours to keep going – join us on Facebook if you all want – worth a look tamworth toolbox

By: mark

mark — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:00:08 +0000

What a wonderful set of images – really lovely documentary set.

I don’t know the shop in question as I don’t live in the area, but it reminds me of my local shop that specialises in door handles, fittings, hinges etc. The experience I had there recently was a world away from the likes of Homebase, B&Q etc. They actually take the time to explain what’s what – invaluable for a DIY-phobe like me. I wish there were more stores like these and it’s so sad that this one has closed.