While the American stores were closed in 1983, the chain remained active in Canada until it was sold in 1994 to rival Walmart, which was looking to enter the Canadian market.

[4] The company experimented with both Woolco and a more downscale merchandising unit called Worth Mart in the mid-1960s.

A number of Woolco stores were opened in the United Kingdom during the same period, one of which in Bournemouth – opened on 29 October 1968 – was in 1970 the largest store on one floor in Britain, with an area of 114,000 square feet and parking space for 1,250 cars.

[7] In November 1971, four new stores were opened simultaneously across Canada (including at Marlborough Mall) bringing the total in that country to 47.

Many of its departments (e.g., shoes and jewelry) were leased to third-party operators, a common practice among early discounters.

Starting in the late 1970s, Woolworth enacted a cost-saving plan for Woolco that included a reduction in floor space for the largest locations, the elimination of most leased departments and an expansion into smaller markets with stores as small as 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2).

Rapid expansion began and by its peak in 1982 the chain had stores as far west as Arizona and as far east as North Carolina.

This expansion soon proved too strenuous for the chain, and all locations were shuttered by December 1985, citing "increased competition in discount retailing".

[12] They were so well known that Canadian songwriters Leon Dubinsky and Max MacDonald even wrote a popular song called "Working at the Woolco Manager Trainee Blues" (1977).

[13] During the 1970s and 1980s, the Canadian stores were well known for their monthly "$1.44 Days", wherein numerous items were sold at a price of $1.44 CAD.