A branch of street fashion retailer Size? is preparing to open in the former home of Leicester institution Wellgosh. The shop is one of three concept stores due to launch on Monday, April 3.
We revealed in February that former independent store Wellgosh, which had been a popular fixture in the city for more than 30 years, was set to be closed and be converted into another venture by its owner, JD Sports.
Wellgosh once occupied a unit in the city's then independent shopping hub Silver Arcade, before the historic venue underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment. After leaving the centre it moved to High Street, and was bought by JD Sports in January, 2021.
READ MORE: Wellgosh fans including Easy Life react to news of 'best shop in Leicester' closing
According to the JD website, Size? was established in 2000, to specialise in "supplying the finest products from the best brands in footwear, apparel and accessories". The three new Size? stores opening on Monday are all in former Wellgosh stores - in Nottingham and Birmingham, as well as in Leicester. JD said the new stores represented the expansion of Size? following successful store openings in Liverpool and Stockholm in 2022.
According to JD, the new stores will enable shoppers to pick up exclusive and sought-after products, including "world-famous" Size? exclusive releases. Each store is due to stock a variety of big-name brands such as Nike, adidas Originals, Jordan, The North Face, New Balance, Clarks Originals and Carhartt WIP. The retailer said the stores would feature digital "transactional kiosks" to enable customers to shop Size?’s online range.
News of Wellgosh's closure was met with sadness and frustration by readers who commented on LeicestershireLive's Facebook post. Many of them described Wellgosh as the "best shop in Leicester". Leicester band Easy Life also joined in on the outpouring of love for the city clothing store. The band shared our article, saying: "This is where we found style, this is Leicester's clothing hub.... forever Wellgosh."
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