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Edinburgh recalls city's 'rudest' shopkeeper who pretended stuff wasn't for sale

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date17 June 2022
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
Nestled in Raeburn Street in Stockbridge, Corson Hardware first opened in the late 19th century and was once a well known retailer in the area for many. With stock filled windows and all the bric a brac you could ever need, the question became - would the 'miserable' owner allow you to buy it

With residents noticing renovations on the building, they've taken to social media to recall their strange interactions at Corson's from days gone by.

READ MORE -Edinburgh 'ghost sign' uncovered in Leith street brings back memories for locals

Eric Corson, the third generation of Corson's who retired a few months ago, was a well known character in Edinburgh.

Discussing the legacy in the Lost Edinburgh Facebook group, locals recalled moments of 'rudeness', Eric's 'grumpy' nature, and even referred to him as a 'grumpy old git'.

Laine Phillips, who runs Marchmont Hardware, helped out with the closure and clear up of Corson Hardware. Her stepfather, Stuart Munro, trained with Eric in the days when a qualification was needed to do ironmongery.

Edinburgh Live spoke to Laine, who argued that behind his moody personality is a good man who doesn't necessarily deserve the sullen salesman reputation.

She recalled the first time she met Eric, telling us: "I met the man and ran out the door.

"I think it's common between people that run hardware stores, it's a certain no nonsense approach. As much as the man was different, I don't want people to remember him for his bad behaviour.

"I think he and his wife used to go dancing a lot, he played golf, and in his personal life I don't think he was the way people think of him. He was all the things you don't see in a shopkeeper, he was human.

"He was a strange character, but maybe he didn't necessarily want to be in hardware."

The line of thinking that Eric didn't particularly want the shop seems to be a recurring theme, with Eileen Thomson adding in the Lost Edinburgh group: "He once told me he hated the job, it was his dad's shop."

In typical fashion, the family business was passed down through the generations and it was decided for him that Corson's would become his...

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