A SHOE chain with “amazing prices” has quit a busy shopping centre, shocking fans.
Aldo closed another one of its popular UK stores on Saturday, February 10.
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The store, located in The Glades shopping centre in Bromley, served its final customers last weekend.
Regulars who used to visit the shop to buy the shoes and accessories the brand offers left the store with great reviews.
Customers described the store’s staff and prices as “amazing”.
It means that Aldo now operates just four stores in the UK.
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These are located in:
- Oxford Street, London
- Westfield Stratford City, London
- Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush, London
- Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent
The Sun has contacted Aldo for comment.
Aldo collapsed into administration on June 1, 2020.
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Its Canadian parent firm, Aldo Group, drafted in administrators at insolvency specialists RSM.
At the time, the shoe retailer said it was “necessary” to place the UK arm of its business into administration due to the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The move resulted in the permanent closure of five Aldo stores.
The footwear and accessories chain was acquired by Bushell Investment Group last year after it fell into administration.
Eight shops remained open, but their long-term future was also at risk.
The acquisition by the investment firm saved 150 jobs and created 50 new roles for the industry in 2021.
In 2021, Lee Bushell, chief executive of Bushell Investment Group, said: “We acquired Aldo UK during the pandemic, which forced several store closures and caused difficulties across the UK footwear market.
“Our initial focus was to rebuild Aldo UK’s brand reputation and build a stable e-commerce platform.
“It’s incredible to be able to mark the one-year milestone by announcing the return of Aldo UK to Oxford Street.
“With lots of challenges across the retail market, it’s a fantastic achievement for the team to be able to continue growing.”
As of February 2024, Aldo operates just four UK stores.
Aldo’s first UK store opened in 2002.
The retailer operates in more than 100 countries and employs over 16,000 people around the globe.
The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal, Quebec, in 1972.
The Group owns stores in Canada, the US the UK and Ireland, and all other international stores are franchised.
More high street closures
Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year and more are on their way.
Several major brands have also collapsed, such as Wilko and Paperchase.
Just this week, The Body Shop confirmed it has gone into administration putting 200 stores at risk of closure.
The Sun has compiled a full list of The Body Shop stores in the UK that are at risk of being lost forever.
But there is a glimmer of hope as official figures revealed that shops have returned from a record poor performance in December.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that retail sales volumes, including online retailers, rose 3.4% during January, up from a fall of 3.3% in December.
It was the fastest rise since April 2021, the month when non-essential retailers were allowed to reopen following the third national lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Several big-name chains are pulling down the shutters for the final time this month.
WHSmith in Oban, Scotland, will close for good on February 17.
While Boots has revealed it is closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
