CDS Superstores, the owner of The Range and Wilko, is accelerating plans for nationwide expansion and has issued a fresh call to landlords and property owners as it seeks new sites to support its next wave of store openings.
Following rapid growth over the past six months — including the opening of 55 The Range superstores and hundreds of in-store concessions under Garden Centres by Homebase, Kitchens by Homebase and Bathrooms by Bathstore — the group is now actively sourcing retail units across the UK.
CDS, which recently acquired the Wilko brand, says it is focused on securing both city centre and out-of-town locations as it builds long-term partnerships to extend the reach of its portfolio.
-
Related Story
-
For Wilko, the group is targeting 20,000–25,000sq ft units in shopping centres or high-footfall town and city centre sites. For The Range, it is seeking out-of-town stores between 25,000 and 60,000sq ft, including freehold and leasehold opportunities, as well as development sites or joint venture arrangements.
“Demand for our retail brands has never been stronger and we’ve been gearing up for growth, investing in our operational infrastructure including our warehousing and transport,” said CDS head of property Antony Darbyshire.
“At a time when other retailers are slowing down, we’re bucking the trend, investing heavily in bringing leading retail experiences to even more communities, and we’re calling on landlords, developers and agents to work with us to unlock the next wave of sites.”
The expansion push follows CDS’s relaunch of Wilko on the high street and signals its intent to capitalise on recent momentum while competitors scale back bricks-and-mortar plans.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
