Fans of beloved homeware chain Wilko, it seems there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet. Having closed 400 stores last year, the brand’s new boss has announced plans to open hundreds of new outlets. And now we know where some of those stores are going to be – and when they’ll open, with two planning to welcome customers this week. Yep, this very week!
So how, after collapsing into administration, is Wilko reopening? Well, keen followers of the Wilko saga may remember that as the chain was going under, its brand, website and intellectual property were bought by The Range. That chain’s owner Chris Dawson is spearheading Wilko’s resurgence, with completely new ownership.
Dawson apparently plans on opening a massive 300 new Wilko stores, though it hasn’t been confirmed exactly when they’ll all open. Apparently 50 are officially in the pipeline, with several already open and two more set to welcome customers this week on Good Friday. In other words, you’ll be able to pick up some Wilko goodies in time for Easter Sunday.
Those two stores now have both confirmed locations and opening dates. They are:
- St Albans, The Maltings Shopping Centre (March 29 at 9am)
- Rotherham, Parkgate Shopping Park (March 29 at 9am)
Wilko has also revealed another store, which has a location but no confirmed opening date. That’ll be at:
- Dolphin Centre, Poole, Dorset
A further three Wilkos opened before the end of 2023, which are:
- Plymouth, Armada Centre, Mayflower Street
- Exeter, Guildhall Shopping Centre
- Luton, Arndale Centre
So, good news for lovers of the Wilko brand! The rest of the 300 stores planned don’t yet have opening dates or locations – so watch this space for updates.
Time Out and high-street homeware
We at Time Out were as devastated as any by the collapse of Wilko last year. But other brands are doing a bit better: both The Range and B&M have announced that they’ll be opening new stores over the coming months, while Lidl is set to open 12 new stores across the country.
Have a look at our full list of high street shops closing doors this year for a full lowdown on who is closing what and where.
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