The Keiller Centre first opened its doors in 1979 with the slogan: “We’ve got it all under one roof. Everything from a pie to a freezer”.
It took its name from the famous family whose Albert Square factory stood before it.
Dundee Arcade Property Company bought the site in 1973.
The company’s original intention was to keep part of the site and sell the rest to Boots for the development of a £1.2 million centralised superstore.
The superstore plans fell through.
Dundee Arcade Property Company got the site back.
They tried to get permission to redevelop the building without success and the Keiller Factory was finally razed to the ground in 1978.
Builders worked up to the last minute
Planning permission was granted for a shopping arcade of 60 units.
Architect Bower Rennie of Broughty Ferry designed the access points around Commercial Street, Chapel Street, New Inn Entry and Rankine’s Court.
Dundee-based W.H. Brown won the tender for construction.
Work started in February 1979.
The construction was hampered by bad weather.
Builders were still on site and shopfitters were hammering and drilling with stocks being delivered and distributed right up to the last minute.
Dundee’s newest shopping centre opened on November 15 1979 at 11.30am.
Queues braved the rain from 8.30am to be among the first 350 shoppers awarded a set of three commemorative crowns.
The queue stretched out into Meadowside and down Commercial Street.
Dougie Cunningham performed the opening ceremony.
He was a major figure in Dundee amateur dramatic circles and became well known locally for dressing up in flamboyant dresses to play the pantomime dame.
He called the Keiller Centre a “heart transplant for the city”.
The city’s third shopping centre would complement the retail offering at the Overgate and Wellgate malls which had opened in 1963 and 1978.
How did things look in November 1979?
There were terrazzo-floored walkways and suspended ceilings.
Wall surfaces were tiled and the Keiller Centre was heated and air conditioned.
Opening was Monday to Saturday.
There were 60 traders when the choc-a-block maze opened.
Shop tenancies started at £1,300 per annum.
An Evening Telegraph advertising feature said the Keiller Centre was beautifully designed and laid out with a wide variety of shops and ample seating.
“Dundee shoppers now not only have a wide variety of shops to choose from, but also a choice of shopping centres.
“And the latest, the Keiller Centre, should be high in the popularity ratings.
“One turn round the centre and you can have all the usual routine family shopping done – and much more besides – quickly, efficiently and economically.”
There were 45 different tenants representing 35 different trades.
Dundonians of a certain vintage will fondly remember some of those names.
William Petrie, the watchmaker and jeweller, was a business dating back to 1885.
They were selling “good quality jewellery at reasonable prices”.
There were also watches and clocks on sale.
Ear piercing was £2.25 including earrings.
Fancy a pair of jeans?
Studs was the place for brands including Wrangler.
Roller blinds brought excitement in 1979
Apollo Window Blinds were offering the new mix and match range.
It was described as “the most exciting thing that’s happened to window blinds”.
The Record Centre was offering a large selection of albums on cassette and vinyl including Reggatta de Blanc by The Police and Rod Stewart’s Greatest Hits.
Posters of Gary Numan and Sting were also on sale.
The Toy Centre was run by Henry Smith and offered “toys to suit all price ranges”.
It was less than six weeks to Christmas so what could be more appropriate?
On the shelves you would find cowboy hats and guns, dolls, hobby kits, Lego, jigsaws, racing cars, toy cash register, train sets and the Space Hopper.
Fair City Decorators stocked 20,000 rolls of wallpaper and 8,000 litres of paint.
A roll of washable wallpaper cost 79p, 89p, 95p and £1.09.
Vinyl scrubbable wallpaper was 89p a roll.
Non drip emulsion was 59p a litre.
High gloss was £1.69 a litre.
Paint rollers were 79p and wallpaper paste 59p.
Remember red flame effect bulbs?
Special opening offers included all stock reduced at Airlie Floorcoverings.
Carpets were from £3.
The Key Centre opening offers were red fire bulbs at 23p.
Prices for key cutting was 45p Yale, car 65p and mortice lock 75p.
Milne was the specialist knitting shop.
All regular stock was 10% off with pure wool sold at 38p a ball.
H & J Pet Stores offered bird cages, dog beds, hamster dens and mouse cages.
Strathvision sold hi-fi’s, cameras, televisions and much more.
The Garden Shop offered cut flowers and pot plants.
The Hap specialised in baby clothes and ex-catalogue surplus goods.
There were “bargains for the active sportsman” at the Keep Fit Shop.
Exercise cycle was £123.55 and running machine £55.
Dumb bell kits were £8.10 for men and £6.45 for women.
Puma trainers ranged from £8.50 to £12.95.
A Slazenger football was £12.50.
Tracksuits were £12.95.
A bed for £50 and a beef burger for 10p
Grossett the butcher was selling rolled silverside beef at £1.19 per lb.
Steak sausages were 59 per lb.
Beef burgers were 10p each.
Meanwhile, Scott Brothers offered the “finest quality” beef, lamb and pork.
There was a carpet and bed store.
Tayside Carpets offered a 20% cash discount on beds.
They were manufactured by Dundee Bedding Company with a classic 3ft single divan bed including headboard and pillow costing £49.95.
Stock carpets were fitted free within 24 hours.
A special offer was the “American wildlife” carpet at £6.99 per square yard.
The mind boggles.
A big range of rugs were also available at discount prices.
The Hilltown Discount Store opened a branch at the Keiller Centre.
Where else could you buy a 24-piece cutlery set and a box of Christmas crackers?
Did you ever take a bite of a Keiller Pie?
Dundee Health Foods offered 1lb of yellow split peas free with every 5lb bag sold.
Being healthy is good but the Keiller Pie was apparently better.
You could pick one up from the bakery.
Feeling hot and bothered after all that shopping?
You could cool down at Jacanoni’s Ice Cream Paradise.
The ice cream was made from “real Italian flavourings” with 12 different flavours.
Jacanoni’s made Dundee and Dundee United ice creams.
There was peppermint flavouring for the white and blue Dundee cone and liquorice and orange for the tangerine and black United version.
Washed down with the famous knickerbocker glory.
The treat of all treats!
The centre was an immediate success but suffered peaks and troughs the following decade before being bought over and given a £500,000 refurbishment.
It was renamed The Forum Shopping Centre in November 1989.
Coronation Street actor William Roache – better known as Ken Barlow – cut the ribbon before they changed the name back to its original identity again in the 1990s.
It couldn’t halt the declining footfall and empty units.
The doom and gloom narrative has been changing since Kathryn Rattray took over the space to breathe new life into this iconic shopping destination.
Earlier this year the centre was sold to new owners in a deal worth £750,000.
The latest chapter in a retail story which started 45 years ago in an age when the high street was king and the Keiller Pie was prince among pastry.
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