Where's Oolaboola?

BingBong · Post by **BingBong** » 9 Feb 2007 19:16

The wonderful Oolaboola antiques business on the corner of Willow Walk was thriving only a few months ago - and now it's gone. Does anyone know if they've relocated or genuinely gone?

Also I'm wondering what are the plans for the building which is being demolished every day? Is it destined to become another shiny new 'development opportunity' like the one at the top of Dartmouth Road that was a cane furniture shop in the early 80s, then an empty 'A3 permission' unit for donkeys years and is now a building site with only the hope of self-seeded buddleia and 'to let' boards as its latest residents? It would be in good company, just round the corner from the the empty retail units with empty flats above like the site next to (what was) Weatherspoons, on the site of what was a proper butcher until a good few years ago?

tommynhs · Post by **tommynhs** » 6 Mar 2007 17:54

interested to find out too... they've put boarding up round it now...

maybe the people in cafe jasmine will know? the guy from oolaboola used to be in there every lunchtime at the same time as me...

i'll ask them tomorrow.

local lady · Post by **local lady** » 7 Mar 2007 14:40

Yes I had been wondering about this. Wandered down to Oola Boola recently looking for a new table and found the place had been demolished.

Go to

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres ... ebapps.pdf

then scroll down or do 'edit, find, Kirkdale'.

As far as I can see it's the loss of a fantastic local business to make way for one retail unit (unless Oola Boola plan to come back and inhabit that?) with a few parking spaces created, but not enough to make any reeal difference. Plus a few more pokey, overpriced flats thrown in - like the ones recently built over the garage in Willow Way. Nice if you relish the smell of axel grease with your cornflakes.

Big Ben · Post by **Big Ben** » 7 Mar 2007 17:02

I think Oola Boola has been affected by the downturn in the antiques trade - rise of Ikea and minimalism in interior decor. Sadly, antique shops are going out of business everywhere - even the upmarket ones in Pimlico Road are struggling. Once Kirkdale was full of antiques shops - Oola Boola was one of the last to hold out.
I've seen the plans at the town hall - in today's terms the flats are spacious and I'm sure they'll all sell very quickly! The owners must have decided that they would make more money out of the site than from selling antiques - and frankly, doesn't the area need more accommodation?

nasaroc · Post by **nasaroc** » 7 Mar 2007 17:45

I agree. It's sad but it didn't come as any surprise to know that Oola Boola had gone the same way as all the other antique shops in Kirkdale. Excellent news that the space is now going to be put to good use as homes for local people, particularly if it's to be the type of accommodation that is in such demand for first-time buyers. I see that the plans include a rather unusual "stacking" lift which parks residents' cars USA style - definitely a first for Sydenham!

These plans certainly aren't slipshod or overdeveloped like many others in this area - and we should welcome them.

castiron73 · Post by **castiron73** » 8 Mar 2007 10:49

Edwardian hall stand seen in Oola Boola: £300
Near-identical hall stand bought locally via eBay: £120

Bobsy · Post by **Bobsy** » 8 Mar 2007 13:08

The antiques warehouse in Crystal Palace seems to be doing a roaring trade so I think its difficult to surmise that its due to a drop in the antiques business. The place in Palace seems to be really cashing in on the current trend for 60s/70s Scandinavian design.

nasaroc · Post by **nasaroc** » 8 Mar 2007 15:31

With respect, when the guy who used to run Oola Boola tells you that he had to sell because of the drop in trade in the antiques trades and when practically every other antiques shop in Kirkdale has had to close for the same reason, I think we can take it that a drop in trade in the antiques business is to blame.

Of course, a specialist business like the one you mention can often do well even in a declining market.

All of my family (not me!) are involved in running antique businesses incidentally.

leaf · Post by **leaf** » 8 Mar 2007 15:56

There is an oola boola antiques listed at 166 Tower Bridge Road,it has the same telephone number as the kirkdale,sydenham one did??

Maybe just a relocation?

nasaroc · Post by **nasaroc** » 8 Mar 2007 16:13

No the oola boola business was previously based in Tower Bridge Road and moved its main warehouse to Kirkdale some years ago.

leaf · Post by **leaf** » 8 Mar 2007 16:20

Aah,it was the fact that the tower bridge one had a sydenham/forest hill telephone number that made me consider that it had just moved premises.

Sandra Blackman · Post by **Sandra Blackman** » 11 May 2007 08:23

A rather late and apologetic response to those wondering where we had gone. Robert and I are looking to relocate our business Oola Boola Antiques hopefully within this area. Each day we spend some of our time looking at prospective properties; so far though none have achieved the 'tick' boxes we require to run our business successfully.

We look forward to finding a suitable property in the near future.

We really enjoyed our time in Kirkdale and miss the loyalty and friendlessness of our customers. A huge Thank you for your support.

We will make a posting on this site, permission granted, when our ideal property is found.

Sandra Blackman

Big Ben · Post by **Big Ben** » 11 May 2007 08:40

Good luck with your search - I'm really missing my antique shopping, especially now that the lovely shop on Sydenham Rd next to the dry cleaners has also gone!

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Where's Oolaboola?

Where's Oolaboola?

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