Vegan beauty shop Kokoa Eco Beauty is to make a permanent return to the Altrincham high street.
Described as the UK’s first 100% vegan beauty store, Kokoa originally proved a hit during three years on The Downs before closing in 2020.
It returned temporarily in May 2021 with a short residence in the Stamford Quarter’s pop-up shop in May 2021.
And it’s now a permanent retail space in the George Street unit most recently occupied by menswear store DCM.
Akosua Catherine Akobeng, founder of Kokoa Eco Beauty, said: “I am thrilled to be opening my own permanent store on the high street!
“The pop up shop was a brilliant ‘test pilot’ for the brand – it allowed us to get a taste for life on George Street and it went really well for us! It was brilliant to be part of the buzz of the centre.
“We love the idea of the high street being filled with exciting independent businesses and so we’re really pleased that we’ve been able to collaborate with Bruntwood Works on this journey who share that vision. The pop up shop gave us the ‘leg up’ we needed and we cannot wait to share our brilliant, cruelty free products with Altrincham.”
The pop up shop, an initiative delivered by Bruntwood Works in association with property agents Barker Proudlove, gives local, independent brands the opportunity to host a specially created ‘blank canvas’ retail space on the high street for between one and six weeks.
Twenty-four businesses have so far taken up the opportunity, with average footfall reaching 5,800 people per month between October and December 2021.
It’s a chance for small independents to test the waters and build up a loyal customer base in a high footfall destination.
James Tootle, Head of Retail at Bruntwood Works, added: “The pop up shop has been a great success, not only driving additional footfall to the high street by creating a new experience for customers, but also in terms of helping independent businesses to grow, experiment and start an exciting new chapter.
“Kokoa is our first to make the move to a permanent unit and we couldn’t be happier for Akosua and the team – they are vegan beauty brand leaders and it’s a brilliant, Altrincham-born concept for the high street.”
Kokoa Eco will stock a huge selection of British vegan beauty brands from skincare and soaps to wipes.
