300-store jewelry chain abruptly closes shop, leaving teens devastated
THE abrupt closure of a major jewelry store has left shoppers grumbling: ‘It’s so depressing.’
The chain has more than 300 stores across the UK and is a favorite place for teenagers to buy accessories.
After several closures, Claire’s has now closed the doors to its branch in Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Gillingham, Kent.
The closure is said to have taken place on February 19 and comes after the branch at the Pentagon Center in Chatham also closed in 2022.
A few months ago, a location in Canterbury also closed its doors.
Local residents have expressed their sadness at the news.
read more about store closures
One person said: “Oh, it’s so depressing in County Square right now.”
And several others responded with a crying emoji to a Facebook post announcing the closure.
Claire’s is an American retailer that mainly targets teenage girls with a glitter and bling theme.
It was founded in 1961 and is located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
There is now one further location in Kent, located in Medway on Chatham Dockside.
A spokesman for Hempstead Valley said: “We can confirm that Claire’s lease has recently expired and the store is now permanently closed.”
Elsewhere, Claire’s branches remain in Ashford, Dartford, Maidstone, Folkestone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Thanet.
It comes as a major outdoor retailer is set to close one of its branches for the final time, as more and more iconic stores across the UK continue to disappear.
Regatta announced at the end of January that it would close its store in Chatham’s Dockside Outlet Centre, Kent.
The infamous ‘Closing Down Sale’ signs were visible in store windows for weeks.
A spokesperson for the retailer told The Sun: “Regatta has not taken the decision to close its store in Chatham’s Dockside Outlet Center lightly.
“The closure follows challenging footfall in the center and coincides with the expiry of the store’s lease.”
Shoppers and residents have been devastated by the news of another store closing and have taken to Facebook to express their disappointment.