London has its Harrods, New York its Macy’s and Paris its Le Bon Marche and Glasgow its Tam Shepherds but for how much longer as the world’s oldest joke and costume shop closes its doors after 138 years.
Tam’s is an institution in Glasgow and an instant reference point for any Glasgwegian anywhere in the world.
With the world’s second most famous Glaswegian (obvs after me) Billy Connolly referencing the novelty store in Queen Street in his writings.
While magician/comedian Jerry Sadowitz is even said to have taken up the craft after being inspired by late owner Roy Walton.
State of independents
In a world where branded stores proliferate in our town and city centres independent stores are a magnet to discerning tourists.
Now that Tam’s has fallen victim of redevelopments around it and rising costs and decided to go solely online.
Visitors to the Dear Green Place will miss out on seeing this time capsule for themselves.
The late great Roy Walton, whose family run the business, since taking over from Tam was a fixture at the glass-covered counter cases.
Where he would happily run through with you the merits of stink bombs, whoopee cushions, sour-tasting sugar cubes and our own favourite the plastic jobbie.
Jobbie, of course, being Glaswegian slang for excrement popularised by the aforementioned ‘Big Yin’ Billy Connolly.
Trick or treat
And a trick we played on my then-octogenarian Mum when the kids placed one in the glove compartment of our car.
And she laid hands on when she went in for a sweetie on a road trip from Greystones, Co. Wicklow to her homestead Co. Donegal.
Tam’s, of course, never disappointed and we had played the whoopee cushion trick on my Dear Old Dad, himself a regular at Tam’s in his youth.
And the stink bomb in class at school.
Tam’s will still be trading online, but the loss of the shop to the Glasgow city centre will signal another break with a much-loved past.
Gone with the wind
The smells, and not just stinky ones, the colours, the tricks, the Houdini posters and the sheer magic of this time capsule.
It goes the same way then as the £5 three-course lunch upstairs at the Horseshoe Bar (Rod Stewart’s favourite Glasgow boozer) in Drury Street.
But at least we’ve still got Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Willow Tea Rooms with its high-back chairs and chintzy home decorating.
And master tailor Slater’s. Suits you sir!
So some of the magic has gone out of our lives as the world’s oldest joke shop closes its doors.
But if anybody can come back from the dead then it’s a magician.