A new charity shop has officially opened its doors in the city centre.

Compton Care opened its brand-new Retail Plus store yesterday in the former Wilko unit on St George’s Parade. 

The 10,000 square feet store will offer a range of fashion, furniture, electricals, a dedicated kids department and a brand-new range of giftware called ‘Gifts that do good’ all under one roof. The store also features a Compton Café so shoppers can pick up a drink and snack after a hard day’s shopping. 

The charity will also be using the space to host a series of community groups, events and initiatives for people living or supporting someone with an incurable illness, as well as those affected by bereavement of any kind. 

The move marks Compton’s reinvestment in the City Centre following the vacation of their Garrick Street Store in March 2019 to make way for the development of the City’s new Learning & Development Quarter. Aaron Smith, Retail Area Manager, said:

“Our incredible retail team have been working extremely throughout Covid19 to get the store ready for the launch and we are so excited to have officially opened its doors and be back in Wolverhampton city centre. 

“Retail Plus is our flagship store encompassing the very best of Compton Care retail under one roof. It will offer a range of high-quality clothing, furniture, books and vinyl plus much much more.

“The store also features our Compton Coffee Shop where shoppers can take a break and have a cuppa and a cake after a hard day’s bargain hunting. 

“What really makes this store so unique is that it will also offer a dedicated space to host a range of our community engagement initiatives, as well as the opportunity for clinical staff to meet patients out in the community.” 

The move marks Compton’s reinvestment in the City Centre following the vacation of their Garrick Street Store in March 2019 to make way for the development of the City’s new Learning & Development Quarter. 

The charity is now asking its supporters for donations of pre-loved items to help stock the store and is also actively recruiting for new volunteers. Mr Smith added:

“Lockdown has offered the perfect opportunity to have a sort out, so we’re asking people to donate those items to help stock our new store. 

“Not only do we want to create a space filled with a variety of products for shoppers we also want to raise as much money as possible to help fund specialist care for local people living with incurable illnesses.

“Our stores are a vital source of income raising over £1 million every year towards providing essential patient care. 

“We’re also recruiting for a number of volunteers to join us and help out in store. Volunteering is a brilliant way to meet new people and learn new skills. We have a range of different roles available so why not apply today and join the Compton family?” 

For more information about the new store and how you can volunteer call 0300 323 0250 or visit comptoncare.org.uk.