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The Boulevard’s Smile Charity Shop is closing down, they currently have an ‘Everything must go’ sale. This is the second charity shop in Waterlooville Precinct to close this year, Marie Curie charity shop located in Wellington Way closed down just a few weeks ago. If charity shops struggle, then how tough it must be for retail businesses to survive?
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Shame isn’t it. As you say, if a charity shop struggles retail businesses have no chance. Something has to be done to stop all this. Should be building the area not demolishing it
Wow!!! If it’s bad times for charity shops… Waterlooville is definitely in trouble ð©
When’s the pizzeria opening?
No idea sorry, the planning was approved, that’s all we know so far :)
Hopefully we’ll be able to eat something else locally soon without having to travel miles
I counted the empty shops down by the cannon 11 this is so sad for Waterlooville I worked there back in the 80s and it was thriving but falling apart and needs a complete revamp.
Shame the ladies in here are so helpful particularly when I’ve been hunting for themed clothing for our dances. Much appreciated
Didnt marie curie shut due to the curse of wellington way tho
Maybe it’s contagious?
Need bigger companies up there clothing and accessories shops men and women! Clearly there not interested in starting up there though, its so boring up there needs a massive revamp!
Wilkinsons seem to be doing okay and poundland, Robert dyas and many more. The shops that survive are the shops that people support and want to support and offer what people want. That is how business works.
You absolutely correct, these larger businesses by their very nature generally have longer and more stable leases which are better value for money when it comes to square footage, turnover and therefore profit (amongst other factors).
The shop was never inviting. Always looked a mess, the window display was a turn off.
Did you work in Smile once?
I’ve here we have a new bakery opening up along there soon?
A pizza and coffee shop has planning approval for the Baytree Bookshop, we’re not aware of a bakery at this time :)
Not surprising – I went in last year to buy a pair of shoes (that had a price tag on) in the window and the woman in the shop quite rudely refused to sell them to me because they were in the window. So I left with the money still in my pocket. So obviously they did not want to make money for the charity! So I’m not surprised they have closed down! They will probably refuse to sell any of the “clearance” stuff too! Lol
Loved visiting those shops when I visit from New Zeaand !!!!!Will miss them next time we come over
There is the need for a wholesale rethink a strategic regeneration plan. The area will never compete with the retail parks so it needs to offer something different. . . but what?
Waterlooville has moved into a chicken & egg scenario now. Too many shops closed down, so people don’t bother to go. People don’t bother to go, so traders don’t trade. Somehow, that’s all got be turned around. Even Market Days are flat these days, with none of the old-fashioned buzz & atmosphere. One day, when it’s too late, people will realize that they’re not meeting up with old friends at the shops anymore, cos they’re all at home, shopping online ….. alone! :(
Perhaps I’m in a minority in that shopping is not a social activity but a chore? For the discretionary items that I purchase, record player, retro-gaming console, LPs, BluRay/DVD boxsets, gadgets, even Hama beads, Waterlooville doesn’t have them, meaning a trip to Portsmouth or Southampton in the hope they’ll have it, or order from Amazon and have it delivered to my door either next day or in some cases within 2 hours. Bricks and mortar shops will never be able to complete with this on price or convenience, small independent traders will continue to move away from retail (unless niche, the sweetshop for example) and into services such as hair, nails, coffee, tattoos and repairs.
With you about shopping being a chore and not a “retail experience”, that’s two of us anyway, perhaps it is the Y chromasone?
There’s that … also I like to save my money rather than spend it on stuff I don’t need ;)
A few years ago, I worked for The News, in the Newspaper Sales department, so was involved with newsagents & home deliveries of the paper. The main reason by older/elderly people then, way back in the 90’s, for NOT having a paper delivered, was that they’d rather go out each day to pick up the paper, because it gave them a reason to get out & about & have a chat with people in & around the shops. My old ma-in-law would pop out to the shops “for a few bits”, & be gone for over 2 hours, cos she kept bumping into people (old friends) for a chat! She’d look forward to that, as many older people do still today, who’d normally be living solitary lives. When that sentimental reason for shopping finally goes, there’ll be tumbleweed rolling down the streets! :(
It’s chop and change in that area of the ‘Ville. So if the pizzeria is going in the bay tree what’s going in next to BetFred?
I live locally in Waterlooville? Walk daily into Waterlooville? Love smile and all the charity shops? Told today that smile. Was closing not because of rates but because they are not making money. So i find it really sad. With so manyimpoverished refugees why dont they send clothes straight to countries in need where people have only clothes on their backs? That is charity?
The council should make sure these shops dont close?
Keep all the shops open and it brings people in! Especially young mums?
Could we have a decent doggy parlour for those without cars.
Store one was great for everyone? Prices were good?
The library is fantastic and wish more people supported it?
Wilko is great too.
Bringback a butcher and fish shop
come on havant do something with these empty shops ? Ripe to be .Vandalised.?