Hawkin's Bazaar enters outlet sector
Published: 15 November, 2011
Toy retailer oens outlet stores in Braintree, Castleford and Antrim
Hawkin’s Bazaar, has made the move into the factory outlet sector in the last few months with three strategically located acquisitions at Freeport Outlet Shopping Village in Braintree, Essex; Junction 32, Castleford and a further outlet at Junction One in North Ireland.
The unit sizes ranged from 1,054 to 1,350 sq ft. and all three offer a wide range of retailers with anchors in each scheme including M & S, Next and Nike.
Hawkin’s Bazaar’s CEO, Lyle Finlay, said: “This is our first move into the factory outlet market which is very exciting. It’s a new market for us so we are just playing it by ear but trading has been very positive. It is unlikely that we will expand further in this market with our concentration on expanding our permanent high street chain complemented by our usual acquisition of some 60 temporary stores again this year.”
At the same time Hawkin’s Bazaar - previously situated in the Queen’s Arcade in Cardiff - has moved into at bigger unit in the St David’s Shopping Centre following another successful year of growth. Williams Gunter Hardwick acted on behalf of the toy and gift retailer to take a 1,174-sq ft unit on a 1ten-year lease at Ł92,000 pa.
