Without familiar EastEnders locations like The Queen Vic, Kathy's Cafe, the Minute Mart and The Arches, Walford wouldn't be, well, Walford. But while there are some local businesses that have stood the test of time over the years, there are others that have come and gone without ever being mentioned again.
Whether it's a well-loved character trying their hand at a new money-making venture, or a Walford newcomer trying to give Ian Beale or Phil Mitchell a run for their money, some businesses just weren't meant to be.
How many of these do you remember?
1. Basher Jim's
Located at 9 Turpin Road, Basher Jim's boxing club was owned by Jack Branning and Michael Moon. The club was nostalgically named after Jack's dad Jim Branning, who was a well-known boxer in his heyday. Jim apparently went by the name Basher Branning in the boxing world, giving Jack the perfect name for his new business.
The gym's office was the prime location for anything shifty that might be going on in Walford at the time, with Michael and Jack often at loggerheads. Even Janine Butcher was involved in the gym for a short time, buying Jack out when he left the Square in 2013.
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2. Ronnie's Boxing Club and Gym
After Michael Moon was murdered in 2013 and Janine was carted off to prison, she put the gym up for sale and none other than Walford's very own Ronnie Mitchell became the new owner.
She continued to run the business as a boxing club but also added a gym to appeal to a wider audience. She also very modestly named her new business after herself, which seems to be a bit of a common theme in Walford.
3. Butcher's Joints
It seems number 2 Turpin Road has been the prime location for many a Walford business over the years. In 2011, Janine Butcher set up her letting agency and cleaning company, employing Billy as her Managing Director. The business venture was surprisingly successful, with Janine even employing the likes of Lucy Beale to work in sales.
After going to prison for Michael Moon's murder in 2014, Janine then sold Butcher's Joints – at the same time she also sold Basher Jim's – leaving the offices empty and poor Billy out of a job.
4. Blades
Not long after Janine vacated the premises at 2 Turpin Road, Dean Wicks decided to try his hand at owning his own hair salon and opened Blades.
Funded by his granddad Stan Carter, Dean seemed to be successful and the salon was a hit. But his flourishing business empire came crashing down when he was sent to prison to await trial for the attempted rape of his fiancee Roxy Mitchell. By 2016 Blades was no more.
5. Elysium
Dean had barely been out of Walford for five minutes when Belinda Peacock arrived and set up her beloved beauty salon in the same location. She also employed cousin Stacey Slater, who had found herself unemployed since the demise of Blades.
Unfortunately for Belinda, she soon ran out of cash and was forced to admit defeat after trying to bury her head in the sand and hide her rising debt from Stacey. Eventually she departed the Square, leaving her family, and Elysium behind.
6. Snooker World
Before number 2 Turpin Road was turned into a hairdressers or letting agency, it was something entirely different – a snooker hall! Owned by the Mitchells as part of their business empire, the venue gave Phil somewhere to meet his dodgy business associates and discuss all things underhand.
Billy Mitchell was the official manager of the snooker hall until it burned down back in 2004, after which Phil lost interest in the business and sold the premises.
7. Moon and Sons Antiques Emporium
Before it became the location for Ian Beale's restaurant, 6-8 Turpin Road was an antiques shop owned by Eddie Moon and run by his sons Anthony and Tyler Moon.
The shop didn't last long though, after Anthony found himself getting into a spot of bother during a poker game with Derek Branning. Oops!
8. Scarlett's
Today viewers will know 6-8 Turpin Road as Ian Beale and Masood Ahmed's new fusion restaurant Walford East, which is about to open its doors for the first time. But Mas isn't the first person Ian has gone into business with.
Initially Ian called the restaurant 'Ian Beale @ Le Square' but he ran out of money and was facing closure before Janine Butcher rescued him. She renamed the venue Scarlett's after her daughter, but there was trouble along the way thanks to a fire and a disaster with the sprinkler system. Subsequently the restaurant was called Beales and owned by Ian and his wife Jane.
9. Giuseppe's
Back in 1998, 88 and 90 George Street were knocked through to become one larger property, which was opened as an Italian restaurant run by Rosa Di Marco and her boys, Beppe and Gianni. The restaurant was named after their late patriarch, Giuseppe Di Marco.
Before being knocked through, the two buildings were used as Hill's Hardware, Walford Furnishing Warehouse, a hair salon called Kool for Kutz and even a pet grooming parlour!
10. The Argee Bhajee
After the Di Marco family relocated to Leicester, Masood Ahmed and his family took over the premises and reopened as the Argee Bhajee. In its time the restaurant was fairly successful, and even the fact the roof collapsed on Syed Masood only led to a temporary closure.
But the family's dreams came crashing down when they went bankrupt, and the premises have been boarded up since 2015, and they still remain derelict to this day.
11. Post Office
Another of the Masood family's many business ventures during their heyday was the Post Office, located at 7 Turpin Road. Before the family took over the business it was originally called Brindley's Post Office.
Zainab could often be found exchanging the latest gossip at the post office window, but unfortunately Walford residents were forced to go elsewhere for their stamps when the post office suffered the same fate as the Argee Bhajee and closed down.
12. Abercorn B&B / Kim's Palace
The original B&B on Albert Square was located at numbers 18 and 20. It was owned by an unseen character called Doris and it wasn't until 1989 that Pat and Frank Butcher took over running the business.
Although the B&B business was closed in the '00s, it was later relaunched by Kim Fox as Kim's Palace in 2011. By 2015 Kim had decided to sell her half of the property, making numbers 18 and 20 separate buildings once again. Today Patrick, Kim and Denise live in number 20. Meanwhile, 18 is where Jay Brown and Billy Mitchell live, with Honey Mitchell and her kids about to set up residence there, too.
13. Walford Surgery
Up until 2015 Walford residents didn't have to go any further than 1A Albert Square if they required some medical attention.
Unfortunately the surgery then closed due to local budget cuts, and it was announced on screen by Carol Jackson that everyone would now have to travel further afield to see a doctor thanks to the basement medical centre closing.
EastEnders airs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
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