By reference to period retailing narratives, this paper examines the changed significance of shop window displays for British grocers with the transition from counter-based to self-service from the late 1940s to the 1960s. The ‘well-dressed’ window showing a selection of goods and price offers became an early casualty of changed retail practices. Opportunities presented by self-service for comprehensive stock displays and in-store promotion proved a decisive challenge to the art of the grocer's window display. These displays had been ubiquitous; large and small shops alike tried to impress passers-by with examples of their stock range. Self-service shops had different internal space requirements and soon it was more important that potential customers could see the well-stocked aisles and activity within.