One Beyond is considering taking on about 50 ex-Wilko units as part of its expansion plans – with final agreements expected to be made on 25.
The discount chain has agreed to take on two former outlets – in Boston and Chelmsford – and is negotiating a third, the business’ chairman Chris Edwards Sr told The Grocer.
“We currently looking at between 40 and 50 more stores,” he said. “By the time we’ve finished analysing them we think we’ll have about 25.”
The founder of Poundworld said One Beyond was in talks with landlords, who were reletting the vacant stores after they stopped trading as Wilko.
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He said the retailer, which has 105 stores across the UK, was planning to recruit the store’s former employees when they reopened as One Beyond.
Edwards said his team had been visiting the Wilko branches before the final closures to inform the store employees of their plans.
“With staff ready to move in, you can do a very quick turnaround. You change the name, do a little alteration of the racking, send them the stock and they get on with it.”
“A lot of [former Wilko] shops will stay unlet now until way into the new year,” he said.
One Beyond, which was founded in 2019, is looking to open 10 more stores this year as part of its 150 by November 2024 ambition.
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