Having bought the Wilko brand out of administration almost a year ago, The Range’s owner, Chris Dawson, had originally planned to run the discount retailer online only, Retail Gazette has reported. However, following a nationwide campaign for the retailer to return to the high street, he has adapted his plans, saying: “It would be an absolutely cardinal sin not to keep this brand alive.”
The retailer has nevertheless taken a cautious approach to reopening the Wilko brand on the high street, with Chris explaining that the team ‘purposefully held back’. The first set of openings have acted as a trial for the Wilko team to test new store concepts, with group chief digital and marketing officer, Ben Exall, revealing that the Poole opening marked the start of its rollout phase.
The team has been tweaking the product mix in store after Chris admitted it didn’t have enough essentials in its first tranche of stores. The first three stores in Exeter, Plymouth and Luton boasted more branded products than ever before, a larger space dedicated to seasonal products, and a bulked out in-store home and DIY section.
Ben explained: “The first five stores are all about test and learn, trialling new things, asking customers for feedback. Customers told us they wanted more health and beauty and more cleaning, and that’s what this Poole store has got.” To help with the retailer’s expansion across the UK, the business recently hired Matalan’s property director, Antony Darbyshire, to head up the rollout.
Chris added “There’s a hell of a lot of stores in the pipeline,” adding that the team have hand-picked the locations, “aware of what was good and bad for Wilko” previously. He says Wilko will target “all the obvious ones in Liverpool, Manchester and all the big cities but (the store concept) will do the Loughboroughs in this world too”.
London will also see the return of Wilko, he promises, highlighting that the brand has “already got a massive internet presence there.”
Top: The Range has plans to open 300 Wilko stores over the next five years.
