The new owners of Homebase have revealed plans to transform the retailer’s stores earmarked for closure.
It was announced last month that Homebase had collapsed into administration.
But CDS Superstores, the parent company of The Range and Wilko, were able to salvage 70 of the popular retailer’s store. Now, they have outlined plans to keep those stores in business.
The new owners are planning to transform the Homebase stores into The Range Superstores, with revamped branches set to open in Pollokshaws, Glasgow, Christchurch, Bournemouth and Birmingham on January 17, 2025.
That initial roll out will be proceeded by the launch of up to 10 new stores every single month next year in a move which they hope will revitalised Homebase.
Revamped stores will feature ‘Garden Centres by Homebase’ and certain locations will include ‘Kitchens by Homebase’ to ensure the retailer’s brand name remains present throughout the stores.
CDS Superstores hope to convert 70 Homebase locations into the new format by the end of 2025 – opening up a possible 1,600 jobs.
Chief Executive of CDS, Alex Simpkin, outlined his intentions to preserve the best aspects of Homebase in the company’s new format.
He said: ‘While those Homebase stores acquired by CDS will continue to trade as they are during the transition period, we’re focused on ensuring a seamless transfer of these locations into our new store format.’
The Homebase brand will continue to trade online under its new ownership.
After the company’s announcement of their collapse into administration in November, they confirmed that six of their sites – in Sutton Coldfield, Bromsgrove, Cromer, Fareham, Newark and Rugby, would close before the year ends.
Further stores in Derry, Inveruri, Omagh and Glenrothes will also all close in the coming months.
Hilco Capital, Homebase’s owner, put the retailer up for sale in July just a few months before they entered administration.
At that point, there were 141 Homebases nationwide. A figure which includes 10 stores purchased by Sainsbury’s.
Once all of those stores are closed, Sainsbury’s plan to convert the units into new supermarkets.
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