Homeware chain The Range is to open a new store in Altrincham Retail Park in the unit soon to be vacated by the closure of Asda Living.
The Range, owned by billionaire businessman Chris Dawson, offers “quality products at affordable prices” across areas including furniture, bedding, garden, DIY, pet products, kitchens and bathrooms.
Its head office confirmed to Altrincham Today that it will be taking on the lease for the 39,543 sq ft, two-floor store, which was marketed at an annual rent of £400,000
.The company was unwilling to disclose any further any information at this stage but it’s likely that a refit of the store will begin soon after Asda vacates later this month.
Asda is closing the unit to consolidate its Altrincham-based offer in its new super store on the Lyon Industrial Estate in Broadheath.
Two years ago, The Range announced it would be embarking on a rapid expansion plan that would see 45 new stores open by 2016.
The company has seen through that plan so far, adding 40-plus stores already and it currently lists 107 stores across the UK. CDS (Superstores International) Ltd, which trades as The Range, recorded its most recent turnover as £470m for the 12 months to January 2014.
The chain’s rapid growth has made Dawson a very wealthy man – he’s the 57th richest person in the UK with £1.65bn, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.
He has now targeted a further 1,000 Range stores across Europe.
The Altrincham store will be its first in the immediate area, with its nearest stores currently located in Eccles, Warrington and Bolton.
The opening is likely to create at least 100 new jobs.
The retail park is one of the shopping hotspots of the Altrincham area, attracting 4.9m visitors a year, or over 38,000 cars a week.
