£2m TJ Hughes open to shoppers in Walsall

TJ Hughes welcomed shoppers as the latest addition to the Saddlers Shopping Centre.

It takes over the 30,000 sq ft premises left behind by Argos.

Store manager Gemma Douglas said that the run up to the grand opening had gone very well and staff were excited to have started trading.

She said: "We just can't wait to welcome new and familiar faces through the doors."

It means TJ Hughes returned to Walsall for the first time in three years after leaving the former Woolworths on Park Street following two years of trading.

The shop is now part of the Poundworld chain.

The new store is officially being opened by the Mayor of Walsall, councillor Angela Underhill.

Early bird customers were able to take advantage of a number of special opening offers across the range of products.

This is the retailer's 16th store and the second to open over the last fortnight.

The company is looking to expand back to 55 towns over the next five years, branching out to locations where they ran shops before going into administration in 2011.

More than 20 stores were closed across the country, including branches in Wolverhampton and Walsall.

TJ Hughes was first established in Liverpool in 1912. It was acquired by Lewis' Home Retail and now employs over 1250 staff across 16 stores and its website.

This is just the latest addition to the Saddlers Shopping Centre.

Burger King opened earlier in the year as part of the centre's new food hub.

A beauty store will be setting up shop later this month. Lashious Beauty will open next to Warren James, facing Greggs, later this month.