Fashion and homes retailer plans to create 200 jobs by opening 10 stores
Leeds-headquartered fashion and homes retailer, Joe Browns, intends to open 10 more stores across the UK by the end of 2024 creating 200 jobs.
This will significantly increase its bricks and mortar footprint from the two existing stores, in Meadowhall, Sheffield which opened in 2017 and a second in York which opened in 2019.
And the business has also confirmed it has entered into a “toe-in-the water” franchise agreement which will see another store open in Cumbria.
Joe Browns, Bowness-on-Windemere will be on the town’s Queen’s Square, will feature 2,500 sq ft of trading space and will offer womenswear, menswear and home. It opens in May 2023.
In terms of locations for the other 10 stores, the retailer said it is actively researching the most suitable shopping centres, cities and towns across the UK.
Chief executive, Peter Alecock, said: “Extending our bricks and mortar footprint is a key building block to growing future brand awareness and sales. In simple terms, it’s about getting the brand visible to as many potential customers as we can.
“We know from our two existing stores, that customers are returning to the high street and are wanting a variety of ways to shop with us.
“We are looking at a variety of locations that we can share when we have signed on the dotted line. We really can’t wait to get cracking – it is exciting times for the evolution of Joe Browns and when better than in our 25th year.”
The retailer said it had experienced a “robust” Christmas, with sales up 19.5% in the four weeks to 25 December 2022. Sales in menswear were up 35.2%, womenswear up 8.2% and homeware up 27%.
