The phrase "time was" signifies that something happened in the past, and suggests a sense of nostalgia. There are many synonyms for this phrase that can convey similar meaning, such as "in the past," "once upon a time," "back in the day," "in former times," "formerly," "long ago," "earlier," "previously," "once," "in yesteryear," "ages ago," "in bygone days," "historically," and "in the olden days." These may be useful when writing about history, literature or personal stories. Each one of these synonyms can evoke different emotions or tones, depending on the context in which they are used.