The expansion followed several years of planning and nine months of construction work.
To mark the occasion, The Standard published a 20-page supplement about the new-look store, covering also Oldrids’ other shops in the town centre.
The paper took so many photographs for the piece that we have divided them across two galleries.
Here is the first one …
17. Oldrids launch second floor at Boston store in 1975
"Over on toys there's a menagerie of cuddly animals that'll make you say ahh," The Standard wrote in 1975. "Board games, construction kits, Tonka toys, doll's houses, dolls, building bricks, Matchbox toys - things to drag your children away from. And it will be worse later on in the year with a new stock of bikes and trikes and ride-on toys." Photo: Boston Standard
18. Oldrids launch second floor at Boston store in 1975
"On records there are records and more records," The Standard wrote of this part of the second floor. "Led Zeppelin, Supertramp, Barry White, Matt Munroe, Jim Reeves, Mantovani and Beethoven, sit in glorious musical conflict. So whether you are finger-poppin', foot-stompin', or concerto conductin' there's something for you here." Photo: Boston Standard
19. Oldrids launch second floor at Boston store in 1975
Restaurant manageress Joy Roberts and kitchen manageress Peggy Calrow. The new restaurant would feature twice the floor space, 50 extra seats (up to 160), and a roof terrace. "There are plans to introduce several new dishes and a greater variety of sweets, plus a limited licence which will allow customers to sip wine or lager with their meal," The Standard wrote of the expanded venture. "But, primarily, the aim is to develop an already successful policy of offering 'top quality home-cooked food at reasonable price'," it added. On average, the restaurant used about 450 pints of milk, seven gallons of cream, 75 dozen eggs, 120 gallons of coffee, and four gallons of washing-up liquid every week. On one Saturday, customers drank more than 30 gallons of coffee, the team said. "Certainly Oldrids' new restaurant is worth a visit. The food is fresh, the salads are crisp and there is a ceiling price of 50p for the hot dish and for cold meat and salad - a combination of quality and value that's hard to beat," The Standard wrote. Photo: Boston Standard
20. Oldrids launch second floor at Boston store in 1975
As part of the opening celebrations, the new book department played host to Margaret Powell, author of Below Stairs (an inspiration for TV's Upstairs, Downstairs) and its sequel Climbing the Stairs. The book department was also on the second floor. Photo: Boston Standard