‘My life has been a lie’: Surprising truth behind BIG W's mysterious 'W' revealed

The name of a store is often the first thing that catches a customer's eye, and for many Australians, BIG W has been a familiar sight for decades.

But have you ever wondered what the 'W' in BIG W stands for?

The answer has stunned many shoppers, and some even questioned their entire shopping history.



The 'W' in BIG W is not just a random letter but a significant part of the store's history and identity.

It stands for 'Woolworths', a name synonymous with Australian retail.


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Many were surprised to know the meaning of ‘W’ in BIG W. Credit: @BigW / X (formerly Twitter)


A spokesperson for BIG W explained that the name BIG W originated from the opening of their first store in 1964 at the Jesmond Shopping Centre in Newcastle.

'With the “W” standing for “Woolworths”, it's a reflection of the close relationship the brand has with our supermarkets,' they said.

The Woolworths Group developed BIG W as a one-stop-shop department store in the mid-sixties, aiming to compete with established giants like Myer or David Jones.

The name was briefly changed to Woolworth Family Centres in 1970 before the BIG W branding was reinstated when the retailer transitioned into a discount department store as we know it today.



The revelation has sparked a flurry of online reactions, with customers expressing surprise.

'My life has been a lie,' one man exclaimed, while another confessed, 'I work at BIG W and didn't even know'.

Some even admitted to having completely different theories about what the 'W' stood for, with one shopper saying, 'I have been thinking it was Aussie Walmart.’

‘I always thought it was just like BIG Warehouse or something,’ another guessed.

‘Well, learnt something new, didn't know that,’ someone added.

You can watch the video of the man’s discovery of BIG W below:


Credit: @tobyrozario / TikTok


However, not everyone was taken aback by the revelation.

Some shoppers had already connected the dots, with one user writing, 'I figured it out because I knew they were part of Woolworths, so I connected the dots.’

Another added, 'Wait, I thought everyone knew that. It makes so much sense like BIG Woolworths because it's got more stuff than normal Woolies.'



In a previous story, another store shared its secret with the public.

Kmart told the story of how its popular cult-status brand—Anko—came to life. Learn more about it here.
Key Takeaways
  • Shoppers expressed surprise upon learning that the 'W' in BIG W stands for Woolworths.
  • BIG W's name originated from the company's first store launch in 1964 and indicates a close relationship with Woolworths supermarkets.
  • The brand underwent a name change in the 1970s before reverting to BIG W when it transformed into the discount department store known today.
  • While some customers were shocked by the revelation, others had already made the connection to Woolworths or had known for years.
Were you aware of the meaning behind the 'W' in BIG W? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
 
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Makes you wonder how stupid some people are. As for the guy who worked for Woolies, part of his induction to the company would have told him. The older I get the more I am convinced common sense is not common and brains in the younger generation are still brand new.
 
I remember shopping at that Big W when it first opened. We used to gather as a group and go W shopping quite regularly. I thought it was a wonderland at the time.
For a while, Big W was the bees knees and they did things well.
With the advent of "modern" style shopping I think it fell backwards.
Now, I hardly shop there at all.
Ahhhhh ..... those were the days.
 
Makes you wonder how stupid some people are. As for the guy who worked for Woolies, part of his induction to the company would have told him. The older I get the more I am convinced common sense is not common and brains in the younger generation are still brand new.
Common sense I think is a thing of the past. People are really not very bright these days. In saying that over 20 years ago I noticed that people weren't very sharp. I know a few people in their 30's and 40's that amaze me everyday that they are still part of society as I don't think they have many brain cells at all. 😂 😂
 
this comes as no surprise to me, I'd always assumed it. Now the "K" in Kmart…what's that all about?
 
What planet do these dumdums come from, common knowledge I would have thought.
Have no idea about the K in KMart though
I just googled it, it stands for Kresge, Sebastian S Kresge opened up a chain of five and dime stores across America which eventually morphed into today's KMart
 
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Didn't know the question/answer was on any IQ test however!
 
Another store I don't shop at... I worked for them.... shysters....
 

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