‘So gutted’ cry shoppers as beloved children’s retailer owned by Frasers closes after 35 years following administration

MAJOR retail group Frasers has shut a store after 35 years of trading, just weeks after calling in administrators for the brand.

Kids Cavern in Liverpool has closed after serving families for more than three and a half decades. 

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The retailer is known for stocking designer brands such as Gucci, Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbana.  

The store, which was located in the Met Quater in Liverpool city centre, had sale signs posted all around the store before it closed according to local media.

Frasers Group took on Kids Cavern as part of a £47.5million deal in December 2022.

But the retail group called in administrators for the brand last month – just 16 months after the purchase.

Kids Cavern had three stores across the UK when it was bought, located in Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

The fate of the other two UK stores has not yet been confirmed. 

The Sun has reached out to the Frasers Group for comment 

Locals took to Facebook to share their heartbreak at the news with many saying the store brought back fond childhood memories. 

One user said: “So gutted beautiful memories and staff.”

“I love this shop,” said another. 

“I used to shop there as a teen,” said a third user. 

A fourth user said: “Literally couldn’t be beaten on price anywhere.”

Fellow Met Quater retailer took to Facebook to comment describing it as “another sad day for local retail.”

The retail group took on another kid’s chain which has struggled – Base Childrenswear – as part of the same deal.

Administrators Kroll Advisory has also been called in for the struggling kidswear brand.

Base Childrenswear currently runs four stores in Westfield London, Westfield Stratford, Bluewater and Birmingham.

It comes after Frasers Group put luxury brand Matchesfashion into administration earlier this month, after saying it was no longer willing to keep the business running.

House of Fraser, also owned by Frasers Group, is set to close its store in Carlisle in May.

The chain has shuttered several stores since last year, including in Birmingham, Cardiff and Guildford.

The Flannels site in Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton, pulled down its shutters for the final time in the new year.

In recent months it has welcomed customers to “new concept” stores which sell brands from across the group including Sports Direct and Jack Wills.

What is happening to the high street?

The pandemic was a tough blow for retailers as many stores had to close during lockdown.

Since then energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.

This has left some remaining retailers grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.

For the most part, supermarkets have braved the storm as they provide essential items like food and drink.

But other retailers have not been so lucky The Body Shop is currently going through administration and announced plans to close half of its 198 stores with seven already closed.

Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.

Retailers closing stores in 2024

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 are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

Here’s a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:

• Argos – The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
• B&Q – The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
• Boots – The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer’s estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
• Clintons – Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We’ve listed the stores affected.
• Costa Coffee – The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you’ll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We’ve revealed which stores are due to close this year.
• Iceland – The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
• Lidl – The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
• M&S – M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It’s not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
• Trespass – The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
• WHSmith – The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk