Born from an enterprising idea by Mr Edward Nicol when he was a porter at Craig Dunain hospital, Nicol’s Killer Prices have become as much as a part of the Merkinch landscape as that of the Black Bridge.

Mr Nicol Senior would make frequent visits to the Lost Property auctions at the Railway station where he would find loads of bargains like cigarette lighters, brollies, watches and basically anything that he thought looked like a good buy. He would then take his purchases to folk and friends up at Craig Dunain to sell. And the young Trevor, never one to miss out on a business opportunity would take some of his father’s bargains to school with him where he would flog them to his playground chums.

As the Nicol’s venture grew so did the amount of stock being held in the back bedroom of the family home. At this point, Eddie decided that business premises were required. An old derelict house on Madras Street was found, done up and changed into a bargain hunters shop where all sorts of stuff could be purchased from dresses and anoraks to fibre glass curtains - a new concept at the time, so I am told.

From this the Nicol’s company bought over Ian Fraser’s shop which was on the site where the bus stop in Grant Street is now at.

Around about 1968/69 an accidental fire could have proved the Killer for the Nicol’s business when an old discarded cigarette end burned the premises down: "In many ways it was a blessing - we bought the fire damaged stock - which was smelly but other than that pretty good - and that in a way put us our feet." says Trevor.

A move to the old wine bond premises in Hamilton Street followed, a massive place compared to their old Grant Street premises. "We sold everything but the kitchen sink in that place" says Trevor "No hold on a minute that’s wrong, in fact we did sell kitchens sinks! And baths!"

Business was doing a very good trade at the Hamilton Street premises, however, for reasons that remain largely dubious the Nicols were asked to leave.

And this is what brought them back to their ancestral home - Grant Street. Starting off at a tiny wee butcher’s shop, and then in 1972, when Mr Grant, the Grocer at No. 57 Grant Street retired, the Nicol’s bought over his premises, where they have been happily trading for the last 37 years. And long may they last.