Revealed: The surprising new store moving in to Monks Cross in York
One of York’s biggest empty shops is to be taken over by a national charity.
Part of the old BHS site at Monks Cross, which was also briefly a Mothercare branch, will become a Barnardo’s Superstore as part of a new expansion drive by the charity.
No opening date has yet been announced, but an “opening soon” sign has been put in the window.
Barnardo’s, which supports the UK’s most vulnerable children, has hundreds of regular charity shops around the UK, but launched a range of larger superstores last year, selling furniture, electrical items and refurbished white goods, as well as clothes and other items.
It opened the first one in Coventry, and has since added further ones in Bradford, Swansea, Bournemouth and Sutton Coldfield.
The charity has put the drive down to an increased public desire to shop sustainably.
When the first superstore opened, the charity said its online shops had done well but the public welcomed the community of physical ones.
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And when the Bradford superstore opened earlier this year, the charity said: “There is definitely a move by the public to buy clothes and household items sustainably – and we find people also want to dress to stand out from the crowd.
“That trend has seen a growing interest in our vintage and retro garments and accessories. And you just never know when you’ll pick up a designer bag or coat from us at a bargain price!”
The York unit, in the north west corner of the main Monks Cross Shopping Park, was occupied by BHS for many years until 2016, when the company collapsed. Mothercare took it over in spring 2019, but lasted only six months before it too closed.
The poster in the shop window says paid positions are available, and the charity has been advertising recently for staff in the shop.