And so did the stars of the world’s best football teams as Sunderland got ready to be a World Cup host.
We are talking about Wearside in the mid to late 1960s and here is a look at the shops of the era.
How many do you remember? Take a look and see if these scenes bring back happy memories.
1. The year we hosted the world
Sunderland was a blaze of colour in 1966 as the town prepared to welcome teams and fans for the World Cup. Remember when the 1966 shopping scene looked like this? Photo: SE
2. Bobby Kerr at Binns
It's 1967 and Sunderland footballer Bobby Kerr was pictured opening the new "In Time" department for teenagers at Binns store. Are you in the picture? Photo: Sunderland Echo
3. Sea Road shops
Plenty of window shopping in this 1967 flashback to the Sea Road shops at Fulwell. Photo: Sunderland Echo
4. The Bachelors in town
Crowds gathered in huge numbers in Athenaeum Street, Sunderland, to see the Bachelors pop group who were visiting Atkinson's record shop. Were you there in 1967? Photo: se