Iconic high street brand with over 1,000 locations is closing shop TODAY
SHOPPERS are disappointed after an iconic high street brand with more than 1,000 locations closed a store today.
The Argos store in Spalding, Lincs, rolls down its shutters after years of serving residents Holland Market.
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All is not lost, however, as shoppers can still buy their favorite items as the outlet reopens just a few doors down.
The supermarket giant will open a new Argos concession in a Spalding supermarket in the coming days.
The move is part of a wave of closures within Holland Market, following the closure of Wilko’s last year.
But the decision has disappointed locals as they see the move as a ‘shame’.
One customer said: “It’s economics. Shame about the empty unit.”
Another frustrated resident added: “Not a good move as it will be another empty building in the city. Soon we will have more empty buildings than shops. Soon we will be a ghost town.”
The retailer previously announced plans to close 100 stores within twelve months.
Argos has already closed 42 UK stores, including all 34 UK locations republic of Ireland last June.
The company has been closing standalone Argos stores to integrate concessions within Sainsbury’s sites since acquiring the company in 2016.
A spokesperson said: “To make shopping easier for customers and allow us to invest where it matters most, we are moving many of our standalone Argos stores to Sainsbury’s – including our Spalding Argos store.
“A brand new Argos opens in Sainsbury’s Spalding this week, bringing customers thousands technologyhome and toy products from Argos while picking up the groceries.”
Which other stores have already closed?
ARGOS closed 45 branches in the 12 months to March last year, while opening 25 branches in Sainsbury’s stores.
Included in that list, the retailer has closed stores in the following locations:
- Coventry
- Nottingham
- Lanarkshire
- Birkenhead
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Kettering shopping park
A store in Staines-upon-Thames will close on February 29.
It also closed all 34 of its stores in the Republic of Ireland on June 24.
The new concession in the Holland Market store will open on March 1.
However, amid these closures there are also new openings as Spalding will also welcome a new addition to the area.
The furniture warehouse will open in the former Beales store on Bridge Stgreet.
Which Argos stores will close?
The homewares retailer confirmed to The Sun last July that its standalone stores in Grimsby and Scunthorpe would close in August, but could not confirm the exact dates.
Argos had plans to open stores in nearby Sainsbury’s stores in both Lincolnshire towns.
An Argos store in the St Stephen’s shopping center in Hull closed in September, but it was believed a new concession would open in nearby Sainsbury’s.
Anyway, here’s the full list of independently owned Argos UK stores included in the 100 list that have already closed:
- Hull
- Grantham
- Grimsby
- Norwich
- Scunthorpe
- Newport
- Cardiff Bay
- Stevenage