Hooty's Willenhall site will open up as new shop
A landmark discount store that closed last month after 50 years of trading will be taken over by a home furnishing chain, with all 100 jobs being saved, it was revealed today.
The popular Hooty's store in Willenhall shut on December 31 and today bosses at The Range have announced that the shop on the Longacres Industrial Estate, Rose Hill, will reopen under its new name on April 11 – and all staff from Hooty's will be employed there.
The Range has temporarily redeployed staff at neighbouring stores while the refit is taking place.
A multi-million pound refurbishment has started to transform the 70,000 sq ft site into a new store stocking more than 65,000 products with a garden centre and coffee shop.
The new shop will be the 88th Range branch in the UK and the third to open in 2014.
The Range founder Chris Dawson said today: "We are very pleased to be able to finally announce plans for the new store in Willenhall, we feel that the location is perfect for The Range and we hope to become an integral part of the community.
"I am very pleased to be keeping on staff from the old site and they will play an important role in making sure the new superstore has a familiar feel.
"We are investing a lot of money into the area I look forward to welcoming loyal Hooty's customers and new customers so they can see what we are about.
"We pride ourselves in offering great value products at great prices and are confident that customers will be really pleased with the transformation". The Hooty's outlet in Kidderminster town centre, which opened in 2010 creating 50 jobs, shut last month but both the firm and The Range have refused to comment on its future.
It is also not known if the Hooty's shop in Erdington, Birmingham, which opened in September creating 20 jobs, will be affected by the changes.
The Range has said it is only dealing with a takeover of the Willenhall store.
Hooty's was founded in 1963 by the family of Steve Smith, who sold the business in 1988 and went on to set up Poundland in 1990.
Shoppers spoke of their sadness when the site shut in December, with many saying it would be missed.
A sign on the gates to the premises stated: "With regret our last trading day is December 31. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers for their support over the past 50 years."
