Phenomenal sales since Edinburgh Woollen Mill reopened in Perth two months ago could see an expansion of its High Street unit.
The shop achieved its weekly target on its opening day when it opened the doors of the High Street shop previously home to GAP and more recently PK Vision.
Currently occupying the ground floor, the support from Perth shoppers means the company is now looking at bringing the first floor back to use – if the store continues to perform well.
This would be used for the Ponden Home brand.
The turnaround follows Edinburgh Woollen Mill collapsing into administration in 2020, which led to the closure of its Perth shops in St John Street and Crieff Road.
Edinburgh Woollen Mill and sister company Ponden Home were bought from administration in 2021.
Expansion plans for High Street shop
The new Perth store is run by Lucy Wright, who is delighted at its reception in the Fair City.
She said: “Perth has always been a good market for us. Customers so far have been incredibly grateful we have come back.
“We made more on our first day of opening than the company expected us to make in the first week.
“I’m very grateful to the people of Perth for being so supportive of us.
“The thing we are most excited about is that next year we are hoping to launch Ponden Home in our upstairs space.
“This will sell luxury towels, high-quality bedding, curtains, and other home essentials.
“If we reach the goals we are aiming for, and it looks like we will, this will open next year.
“Our focus this year is to prove our profits so we can confidently move forward with expansion.”
Perth city centre hopes
The manager hopes the new shop will play a part in rejuvenating the city centre by increasing footfall.
Top of her wish list would be the former Debenhams building being brought back to use. Dundee’s Debenhams at the Overgate Shopping Centre has been developed into a Frasers department store.
Lucy said: “I believe we can help rejuvenate Perth, by bringing more people into the town centre, which will be beneficial to the stores around us as well.
“I’d love to see the Debenhams building become an indoor market. There are a lot of vendors who can’t afford the rates, but they could afford a stall.
“It is a shame to let such a nice, old building go to waste. Refurbishing it and renting it out would certainly pull people back in.”
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