Jeweller TH Baker to open branch in Mander Centre in August
A new jewellery shop is to open at the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, marking the return of a historic brand that left the city four decades ago.
Shopping centre owner Benson Elliot has announced that TH Baker, a leading local independent jewellery chain, will return to the city with its new store opening in August.
The jeweller will occupy a 2,000 sq ft unit on the upper mall, opposite the Debenhams department store and will stock a jewellery and watch brands, including Tag Heuer, Gucci and Tissot.
Richard Scharenguivel, centre manager at the Mander Centre, said: "We are delighted that TH Baker have chosen the Mander Centre for the location of their new store, and look forward to our customers enjoying their exceptional customer service and range of premium brands. We look forward to helping them celebrate their 130th anniversary."
Phillip Higgs, chief operating officer, of TH Baker, said ‘We are all very excited to be making our return to Wolverhampton at the Mander Centre. We will be working closely with the Mander Centre to offer an extraordinary consumer experience and look forward to welcoming everyone in Wolverhampton to our new store this summer."
The new TH Baker store has created six new jobs, with recruitment and training currently underway ahead of its launch this August.
Founded almost 130 years ago as a family-owned business, Kidderminster-based TH Baker now has 30 stores nationwide, located throughout the West Midlands and southern England. It has branches at Walsall, Merry Hill, Stourbridge Halesowen, Kidderminster and at Grand Central in Birmingham. Earlier this year it closed its first ever shop, in Brierley Hill High Street, blaming a long term decline in trade.
It also operates a string of Pandora jewellery outlets in Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Centre, Walsall, Merry Hill, Kidderminster and in Birmingham High Street, Grand Central and the Bullring.
The latest arrival comes after a £35 million redevelopment of the 600,000 sq ft Mander Centre which was completed last year with the opening of the Debenhams anchor store.
The decision by the jewellery chain to move into Wolverhampton comes at a welcome time for the city, which has suffered a major blow with the decision of House of Fraser to close the iconic Beatties department store in the city centre early next year.