Old-school Swansea shop where everyone was made to feel at home closes

It marks the end of an era after 50 yards of being in business

A popular card shop that’s been a key part of a Swansea community for generations has closed its doors for good. Colin’s Cards, located at Elgin Street in Manselton, Swansea, served its final customers on Saturday, March 21.

It marked the end of an era for the store, which traded in the area for 50 years under community stalwart Colin Lightfoot, who initially ran the shop as a cobblers before diversifying and becoming a specialist greeting card shop since the early 1980s.

Mr Lightfoot sadly died aged 86 on Tuesday, June 17, having battled dementia. The shop remained open with new owner Jo Brooks in charge. But the shop closed at the weekend, with all stock reduced to clear. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here.

The shop had an old-school traditional-feel and was not too dissimilar inside to the one seen in the TV show Open All Hours.

It became every bit as much of a community as it was a business with customers treated as Mr Lightfoot’s friends when they walked in.

Signs are displayed in the shop’s window informing the community that it has now closed down.

On its Facebook page, customers had been invited to visit the store in its final days and “raise a glass to Colin and his empire.”

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