5821 W. Central Ave.
Woolco was located in the Toledo West Shopping Center on the south-east corner of Central Avenue and Holland-Sylvania. Woolco opened in 1972 and closed January 1983. Became a Hills Department Store in 1983. Hills closed in 1999, Became an Ames store for a short time. Shopping center also included a Jo-Ann Fabrics, Lane Drug Store (later Peoples Drug Store), and Kroger (on the far east end). Entire shopping center was demolished 8/2002. Site status: Walmart.
“Woolco Stores operated here from 1970 to 1983. Woolco Department Stores, the discount division of F W. Woolworth Co., opened its first store in Toledo at Alexis and Lewis in November, 1970. Within two years. the company had opened three stores here and had plans for a fourth. But Woolworth reported losses of $25 million in the first six months of 1982, attributing $20 million of that to its Woolco division. In September, the company announced the closing of its Woolco outlets and the laying off of 25,000 employees. The three stores in Toledo — each with about 115,000 square feet of space — were closed in mid January. – “Retailer To Open 3 Outlets Here, Create 450 Jobs: Hills Stores Will Occupy Woolco Sites.” – The Blade, May 1, 1983.]
