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A GADGET and gift merchant with an excess of 50 locations is preparing to permanently shut one of its branches today.
Menkind, which offers an array of products from toys to tech, will close its location in the Kingfisher shopping centre located in Redditch just three months following its launch.
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A representative for the brand informed The Sun that the choice was “not taken lightly”.
They stated: “Regrettably, the performance of the store at this site did not meet the expectations necessary to keep it operational.”
“We would be thrilled to return to Redditch in the future if the appropriate chance arises.”
They further added: “We remain focused on catering to our customers through our remaining branches and our online services.”
“For those seeking Menkind products in Redditch, the nearest store is situated at Chapel Walk in Worcester, or you can shop via our online platform.”
The concluding day of operations will be Sunday, January 12, providing customers only a few hours to say their goodbyes.
This comes as yet another closure for locals who recently bid farewell to Carpetright following its administration last summer.
This occurred after Lidl shut its location in The Quadrant in Redditch town centre during the summer of 2023.
Regarding Menkind, this is not the first instance of shutting one of its outlets.
The retailer previously closed its store in the Old George Mall, Salisbury, Wiltshire in January 2024.
Menkind also shut its location in Teesside Park in Thornaby, North Yorkshire, in December 2023.
You can locate your nearest store using the locator tool on the Menkind website.
The closure in Redditch town centre is one of many occurring across the UK in recent times.
The Entertainer, which boasts 160 stores nationwide, will permanently close its branch in Croydon’s Whitgift shopping centre on February 1.
OTHER SHOP CLOSURES
Numerous retailers are shuttering outlets across the high street as consumers increasingly turn to online shopping amid elevated business rates.
Rising inflation in recent years has also impacted shoppers’ budgets.
The Centre for Retail Research’s latest findings indicate that 13,479 stores, averaging 37 closures daily, permanently shut in 2024.
Out of these, 11,341 were independent shops while 2,138 were concluded by larger retailers.
The statistics also revealed that over half of the stores that closed last year did so due to the store or retailer undergoing insolvency proceedings.
This occurs when formal steps are implemented to manage a business’s financial obligations.
Retailers are continuing to shut locations in 2025 as well.
The Body Shop is set to close five branches on January 15 in Exeter, Plymouth, Horsham, Norwich, and Sheffield.
Three additional outlets have already ceased operations in Cambridge and Hove.
Stationery retailer WHSmith is closing a store in Bournemouth on January 15 while Monki has announced intentions to close seven locations this year.
Overall, the Centre for Retail Research anticipates a greater number of store closures this year compared to last.
It predicts approximately 17,350 establishments to shut permanently, comprising about 14,660 independent shops.
What is driving the closure of retail locations?
RETAILERS have been under pressure since the pandemic, with consumers cutting back on spending due to the rising cost of living crisis.
Escalating energy expenses and a shift to online shopping post-pandemic are also impacting the situation, and many high street stores have struggled to sustain operations.
The high street has seen a significant number of closures throughout the past year, with more expected.
The total number of positions eliminated in British retail declined last year, yet 120,000 individuals still lost their jobs, statistics have indicated.
Data from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops permanently closed in 2023, resulting in 119,405 job losses in the retail sector.
This figure was lower than the shop closures in recent years, and a decrease from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, the centre’s director, noted that the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Though some notable businesses exited the high street, including Wilko, many large firms had already failed prior to 2022, according to the centre, such as Topshop parent Arcadia, Jessops, and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and interest rate hikes have prompted many consumers to tighten their spending,” Prof Bamfield explained.
“Retailers themselves have faced rising energy and occupancy costs, staffing shortages, and diminishing demand that have made it exceedingly challenging to regain profitability following widespread store closures during the pandemic.”
In addition to Wilko, which employed approximately 12,000 people at the time of its demise, other major failures in 2023 included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic, and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research reported that most store closures were the result of companies attempting to restructure and reduce costs rather than outright business failure.
Nonetheless, experts caution that further failures are likely this year as consumers continue to limit spending and borrowing costs for businesses rise.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker represent the most prominent companies that have already entered administration this year.
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