Address: 15 High Ousegate, York, YO1 8RZ
Description
A modern ghost sign on High Ousegate once displayed the words “Hawkin’s Bazaar Because life’s too serious” in white text on a black background.
The wooden sign has since been entirely painted over, leaving only the plain black rectangle affixed to the front of the building.
History
Hawkin’s Bazaar Ltd began as a niche mail-order toy company founded by Sid Templer in 1973 in Halesworth, Suffolk, originally named TOBAR after his sons Toby and Barnaby.
The company moved to an old pub called the Hawk Inn in 1976, inspiring the name change to Hawkin’s & Co; Bazaar was later added.
2013 – The sign is visible at the top
In 2013 the company celebrated its 40th anniversary, proudly maintaining its original values with taglines like “Unusual gifts for every occasion, since 1973.”
Despite evolving over the years, Hawkin’s Bazaar went into administration and closed in 2020, ending its presence in York.
2020
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