Home improvement business Wickes is opening a brand new store in Sunderland. Officially welcoming customers from 2nd July, the store is situated on the Pennywell Industrial Estate (SR4 9FA), alongside Aldi and KFC, located near the A19. Open Monday to Saturday 7am – 8pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm, the store caters for DIYers, local trade and those consumers looking for support on larger transformations with the retailer’s Design and Installation Services.
New store, new offering
The relocation from Wessington Way, has made way for a 25,000 square foot unit that supports Wickes’ distinctive service model and new store format. Part of the brand’s estate transformation strategy Sunderland marks 144 stores in this new customer friendly concept.
The quick, simple and easy to shop layout features a wide range of products and includes a Dulux in-store mixing service and a new outdoor project centre for landscape and garden jobs. A 7,000 square foot purpose built Kitchen, Bathroom and Boutique Tile Showroom is situated on the mezzanine, and features the latest on-trend ranges, together with expert help from experienced Design Consultants, who can assist customers’ transformational projects either face-to-face or through virtual meetings. For Sunderland’s trade customers the new store also features a service yard and ample on-site parking.
Digitally led, service enabled business
Sunderland has a designated area for what the business names ‘Smart Fulfilment’. This assists the digital shopping journey, with the storage of items picked by colleagues for home delivery, ready for collection by local carriers. This is part of the retailer’s store of the future concept to drive efficiency and better customer service across its store network. Furthermore, the Wickes Sunderland has dedicated Click & Collect parking bays, providing a more convenient shopping experience for locals.
David Wingfield, Store Manager, Sunderland commented: “We’re so excited for customers to see this brand new Wickes store, we’re able to offer many more products and services to local residents in this new space. The store has been designed to make shopping for home improvement and trade projects simpler than ever before, with the layout making it easier to find everything customers need in one trip. We’re also able to walk people around some inspirational room sets across kitchens and bathrooms, where our Design Consultants can really bring customers’ projects to life with our digital tools.”
Colin Contini, Divisional Director North for Wickes, continued: “We know that our new store formats work well for customers, allowing them to shop the way they want. Whether that’s a digital journey or an in-store experience, our new store, with its wider offering, will enable so many projects for people locally. ”
The new retail development is part of a multi-million-pound investment by UK Land Estates, which has transformed the previously derelict site.
Brandon Bailey, our Project Manager , said “The new Wickes store provides a much-needed amenity for the local area and, with a range of services and products on offer, it will undoubtedly prove popular with local residents.
“Pennywell Industrial Estate occupies an important gateway site into Sunderland, and we are proud to continue to invest in this estate and our other sites, developing new properties and renovating existing buildings to provide valuable jobs and amenities in the North East.”