Poundstretcher opens wholesale clearance store at HQ months after rescue

Discount RetailNewsSupply Chain

Poundstretcher has opened a wholesale clearance shop at its Leicestershire distribution centre, giving local traders access to its products by the case at wholesale prices.

The 3,000 sq ft Bargain Buys Clearance Shop opens today at its West Leicestershire site, selling homewares, garden, household, bathroom, kitchen, pet and DIY products.

It will trade from 9am to 3pm between Monday and Wednesday and operate on a cashless basis.

Stock is being sold by the case under a ‘when it’s gone, it’s gone’ model, with the shop aimed primarily at local businesses and wholesalers rather than Poundstretcher’s usual retail customer.

Chief executive Andy Atkinson said the idea came after local businesses approached the retailer about buying directly from the ranges it sources internationally.

He said: “We’ve opened 16 new stores since June 2026 alone across the UK,” adding that the clearance shop gave Poundstretcher the opportunity to target a new customer base from its own support office.

The format also gives it a fairly straightforward way of making more use of its central buying operation. Case stock can be shifted directly from the distribution centre without the cost of opening another conventional shop, while Poundstretcher gets a route into the local trade market.

The development has arrived during a busy few months for the discounter.

Poundstretcher was facing possible administration earlier this year before the High Court approved its restructuring plan in June. It had warned it would face a £2.8m funding shortfall by the end of that month if the plan failed to go through.

The restructuring, backed by 93 per cent of voting creditors, reduced property costs across parts of its roughly 300-store estate. Poundstretcher said at the time that it did not expect the process to result in store closures or redundancies.

Since then, it has been opening, rather than closing shops.

New locations have included Frodsham, Launceston, Bangor, Kelso, Blandford, Atherstone, Attleborough, Tenterden, Melton Mowbray and Broadstairs, followed more recently by stores in Merthyr Tydfil and Tottenham.

The wholesale shop will trade under the Bargain Buys name, which Poundstretcher has used on parts of its estate since 2018.

Poundstretcher has been owned by US investment firm Fortress since April 2024. At the time of the deal, Fortress said it planned to strengthen supplier relationships, widen the retailer’s product offer and invest in expanding its UK reach.

Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter

Discount RetailNewsSupply Chain

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.

Poundstretcher opens wholesale clearance store at HQ months after rescue

Poundstretcher has opened a wholesale clearance shop at its Leicestershire distribution centre, giving local traders access to its products by the case at wholesale prices.

The 3,000 sq ft Bargain Buys Clearance Shop opens today at its West Leicestershire site, selling homewares, garden, household, bathroom, kitchen, pet and DIY products.

It will trade from 9am to 3pm between Monday and Wednesday and operate on a cashless basis.

Stock is being sold by the case under a ‘when it’s gone, it’s gone’ model, with the shop aimed primarily at local businesses and wholesalers rather than Poundstretcher’s usual retail customer.

Chief executive Andy Atkinson said the idea came after local businesses approached the retailer about buying directly from the ranges it sources internationally.

He said: “We’ve opened 16 new stores since June 2026 alone across the UK,” adding that the clearance shop gave Poundstretcher the opportunity to target a new customer base from its own support office.

The format also gives it a fairly straightforward way of making more use of its central buying operation. Case stock can be shifted directly from the distribution centre without the cost of opening another conventional shop, while Poundstretcher gets a route into the local trade market.

The development has arrived during a busy few months for the discounter.

Poundstretcher was facing possible administration earlier this year before the High Court approved its restructuring plan in June. It had warned it would face a £2.8m funding shortfall by the end of that month if the plan failed to go through.

The restructuring, backed by 93 per cent of voting creditors, reduced property costs across parts of its roughly 300-store estate. Poundstretcher said at the time that it did not expect the process to result in store closures or redundancies.

Since then, it has been opening, rather than closing shops.

New locations have included Frodsham, Launceston, Bangor, Kelso, Blandford, Atherstone, Attleborough, Tenterden, Melton Mowbray and Broadstairs, followed more recently by stores in Merthyr Tydfil and Tottenham.

The wholesale shop will trade under the Bargain Buys name, which Poundstretcher has used on parts of its estate since 2018.

Poundstretcher has been owned by US investment firm Fortress since April 2024. At the time of the deal, Fortress said it planned to strengthen supplier relationships, widen the retailer’s product offer and invest in expanding its UK reach.

Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter

Social


SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Discount RetailNewsSupply Chain

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.

RELATED STORIES

Latest Feature


Menu

Get Inside Matalan

A supply chain case study delivered to your inbox in three emails. The 3 elements Matalan changed to impact its bottom line..

Matalan Supply Chain Programme Form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.



Please enter the verification code sent to your email: