Wilko to make a return to the high street thanks to shoppers’ ‘love’ for the brand
- CDS Superstores, owner of the Range, will open five Wilko branded shops before Christmas.
- The company says former staff will be given priority for jobs, with the first two shops set to open in Plymouth and Exeter.
- CDS Superstores clearly sees opportunity amid ‘love for Wilko’ and shoppers’ continued focus on value.
Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown:
‘’Wilko’s famous red and white frontage is set to stay on as a feature on the British retail landscape, saved from the scrapheap because of shoppers’ love for the brand. Although it was expected that CDS Superstores would sell Wilko-branded products across its network of Range stores, and via the website it now owns, the re-instatement of standalone stores was far from certain. But affection for Wilko among throngs of value conscious shoppers has convinced the new owners that demand will be high, and customers will surge through the doors of the five stores it plans to open before Christmas.
It is increasingly competitive in the value sector, as the big grocers compete with discount chains for business, so it’s not surprising that the CDS Superstores is showing caution by only opening five initial stores, although there are more in the pipeline next year. The choice of location will be key, as part of the reason Wilko came so badly unstuck was that many of its sites in its sprawling store estate didn’t have enough parking and were too large and expensive. In this climate a good location, the right product mix and a razor-sharp focus on shoppers’ wallets will be all-important. These are all factors CDS Superstores will be zeroing in on as it plans these new concept stores. It’s chosen high street locations for the first two openings in Devon, counting on brisk footfall as shoppers head out for Christmas sprees. Although there is likely to be a huge boost of shopper enthusiasm at the launch, it will still have its work cut out to keep prices low and win back custom but will undoubtedly be helped by supplier relationships forged through partnerships built up through The Range business.”
