"On February 1, 1960, four African American college students sat down at a lunch counter at Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina, and politely asked for service. Their request was refused. When asked to leave, they remained in their seats. Their passive resistance and peaceful sit-down demand helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge racial inequality throughout the South." (Read more about it here)

The site of this seminal protest is still there, now preserved as a civil rights museum:

The lunch counter has been preserved but is now kept behind a glass case:

I was unable to find a photo of the Sunderland branch of Woolworth's, but I did find one from Newcastle:

Woolworth's sold lots of thing but it will always be remembered for its "Pick n Mix" counter. Here's an old one:

This tradition continued until Woolworths closed their 807 UK stores in 2009. According to this someone bought the last ever bag of Pick 'n' Mix on eBay for £14,500!

The Greensboro/High Point area of North Carolina is known for furniture. If you drive around you can find oversized items of furniture in various locations, like these: