Woolies Near Me: Find Stores in Australia, Ireland & South Africa

If you’ve ever typed “woolies near me” into a search bar and gotten confusing results, you’re not alone. The nickname “Woolies” might point to a supermarket in Australia, a food-and-clothing store in South Africa, or even a DIY shop in Ireland. This guide untangles the global identity crisis behind one simple word and shows you exactly how to find the store you’re after.

Woolworths Australia stores: Over 1,000 supermarkets nationwide (Woolworths Group) · Woolworths South Africa stores: Over 200 food and clothing stores (Woolworths Holdings) · Original Woolworths founded: 1879 in the United States (Britannica) · ‘Woolies’ in Ireland: Refers to Woodie’s DIY, not Woolworths (Woodie’s website)

Here are the key facts about Woolworths globally.

What countries have woolies?

The term “woolies” appears in several countries but refers to different brands entirely. Here’s where you’ll find it.

Australia

• Woolworths Australia operates only in Australia, with over 1,000 supermarkets (Woolworths Online Store Locator).
• Founded in 1924, it’s the largest supermarket chain in the country, holding a 32.5% market share as of 2023, according to Wikipedia (Wikipedia).
• Locals almost always shorten the name to “Woolies.”

South Africa

• Woolworths South Africa operates in South Africa and several other African countries, offering food, clothing, and homeware (Woolworths (Pty) Ltd App Listing).
• It was founded in 1931 and has over 200 stores.
• South Africans also refer to it as “Woolies.”

Ireland (Woodie’s confusion)

• In Ireland, “Woolies” commonly refers to Woodie’s DIY store, not Woolworths (Woodie’s Store Finder).
• Woodie’s is a hardware and home improvement chain with over 30 locations nationwide.
• There is no connection between Woodie’s and the historical Woolworths in Ireland.

United Kingdom (historical)

• Woolworths UK existed from 1909 to 2009, when it entered administration and closed all stores (Woolworth Museum).
• It was a variety store chain, not purely a supermarket.
• The brand no longer operates in the UK.

United States (historical)

• The original Woolworth Co. in the US closed its variety stores in 1997; the parent company became Foot Locker (Britannica).
• Americans called the stores “Woolworth’s” or “the five-and-dime.”
• No retail stores under the Woolworth name exist in the US today.

The pattern: “Woolies” in everyday speech almost always means the local Woolworths — but Ireland breaks the rule entirely.

Are Woolies and Woolworths the same?

In most regions, yes — but context is everything.

Nickname usage in Australia

• “Woolies” is a colloquial term for Woolworths supermarkets in Australia (Woolworths Online Store Locator).
• The two terms are used interchangeably in conversation and advertising.

Nickname usage in South Africa

• In South Africa, “Woolies” also refers to Woolworths (food and clothing) (Woolworths SA App).
• It’s the same company brand.

Why Woolies is not Woolworths in Ireland

• In Ireland, “Woolies” is not Woolworths but Woodie’s (DIY), a completely different brand (Woodie’s website).
• Woolworths did operate in Ireland from 1914 to 1984, but the name “Woolies” persisted for Woodie’s through pronunciation similarity.

The trade-off: Aussies and South Africans can safely say “Woolies” and mean their local supermarket. In Ireland, it’s a DIY store — and nobody’s happy about the confusion.

Was Woolworths in Ireland?

History of Woolworths in Ireland

• Woolworths operated in Ireland from 1914 to 1984 (Woolworth Museum).
• At its peak, there were dozens of stores across the Republic and Northern Ireland.

Closure and legacy

• All Irish Woolworths stores closed in the 1980s due to changing retail dynamics.
• The brand disappeared entirely from Ireland.

Current status

• The Woolworths brand no longer exists in Ireland; Woodie’s, an unrelated DIY chain, is what people now call “Woolies.” (Woodie’s website)

Why this matters: If you searched for “woolies near me” in Dublin, you’d end up at a hardware shop — not a supermarket. Knowing this history saves a wasted trip.

What do Americans call Woolworths?

Woolworth Co. history in the US

• The first Woolworth’s store opened in 1879 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Britannica).
• It grew into a nationwide chain of five-and-dime stores.

Five-and-dime legacy

• Americans referred to the stores as “Woolworth’s” or “the five-and-dime” because everything cost five or ten cents.
• It was a cultural icon before discount retailers outcompeted it.

The brand today (Foot Locker)

• The original US chain dissolved in 1997; the parent company became Foot Locker (Britannica).
• No Woolworths retail stores exist in the US today.
• Foot Locker still trades under its own name, but the Woolworth brand is history.

The paradox: The country that invented Woolworths no longer has it. The name lives on only in the southern hemisphere.

What supermarkets are under Woolworths?

Woolworths Group (Australia) brands

• Woolworths Group (Australia) owns Woolworths Supermarkets, BIG W, Metro, and Woolworths Liquor (Woolworths Group Partner Hub).
• It also operates Woolworths New Zealand under a separate store locator (Woolworths NZ Store Finder).

Woolworths Holdings (South Africa) brands

• Woolworths Holdings (South Africa) owns Woolworths Food, Woolworths Clothing, and David Jones (Woolworths (Pty) Ltd App Listing).
• It focuses on premium food and apparel.

Subsidiaries and partnerships

• The two groups are separate entities with different shareholders and strategies.
• Both use the “Woolworths” name but do not share ownership.

What this means: Searching for “Woolworths” near you only works if you know which continent you’re on. The brand is split in two — and neither one serves the other’s market.

Woolworths Australia vs Woolworths South Africa vs Woodie’s: A quick comparison

Three entities, one nickname — here’s how they stack up.

The catch: Three different types of retailers, one confusing nickname. If you’re in Australia or South Africa, rejoice — “Woolies” means groceries. In Ireland, it means a trip to the hardware aisle.

How to find the nearest Woolies (the right one)

Here’s a step-by-step guide to avoid the Ireland trap and find the store you actually want.

1. Determine your country. If you’re in Australia or South Africa, you want Woolworths. If you’re in Ireland, you want Woodie’s. The US and UK have no active stores.
2. Use the official store locator. For Woolworths Australia: visit their store finder and enter your postcode or suburb. For Woolworths South Africa: download the Woolworths SA app (available on iOS or Android). For Ireland: use the Woodie’s store finder.
3. Check opening hours. Most Woolworths Australia stores operate 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but some are 24-hour. The store locator shows specific times.
4. Consider delivery. Woolworths Australia delivers groceries nationwide. Woolworths South Africa also offers delivery. Woodie’s does not deliver groceries, only DIY materials.
5. If you’re in New Zealand, use the separate Woolworths NZ store finder.

Need a general “near me” search for other retailers? Check out our guide to Best and Less Near Me for similar store locator tips.

Timeline of Woolworths history

• 1879 – First Woolworth’s five-and-dime store opens in the US (Britannica)
• 1909 – Woolworths expands to the United Kingdom (Woolworth Museum)
• 1914 – Woolworths opens stores in Ireland (Woolworth Museum)
• 1924 – Woolworths Australia founded (Wikipedia)
• 1931 – Woolworths South Africa founded (Woolworths SA App)
• 1984 – Woolworths closes its remaining Irish stores (Woolworth Museum)
• 1997 – US Woolworth Co. closes variety stores; brand lives on as Foot Locker (Britannica)
• 2009 – Woolworths UK enters administration and closes all stores (Woolworth Museum)

Timeline signal: The decline of the Woolworth name in the northern hemisphere tracks closely with the rise of discount retailers and e-commerce.

Clarity check: confirmed facts and what’s still unclear

The pattern: Confirmed facts outweigh unclear ones, but the exact store count varies by source.

“Find your nearest Woolworths supermarket by entering your postcode or suburb.”

— Woolworths Australia official store locator (source)

“Woodie’s is Ireland’s leading DIY retailer with over 30 stores nationwide.”

— Woodie’s website (source)

“Frank Woolworth opened the first successful five-and-dime store in 1879 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.”

— Britannica (source)

“Woolworths was founded in 1924 and is the largest supermarket chain in Australia.”

— Wikipedia (source)

Related reading

For more store locator guides and retail insights, check out:

• Woolworths Catalogue QLD – current deals and offers for Woolworths in Queensland
• Best and Less Near Me – find nearby Best and Less stores in Australia

For Australians hunting for groceries, the search is straightforward: use Woolworths’ official store locator or check the Woolworths Catalogue QLD for weekly specials. For shoppers in Ireland, “Woolies” will take you to wood and nails, not milk and bread. The clarity issue is simple: know your country, or end up at the wrong store. For anyone outside Australia or South Africa, the choice is clear: find a local supermarket — because Woolworths no longer serves you.

For those wanting exact addresses and opening hours, the Woolworths store locator guide is an essential resource.

Frequently asked questions