The team behind independent Leicester clothing shop Wellgosh has spoken about the sale of the business to JD Sports.
As LeicestershireLive reported earlier today, the family-run business, which has been a fixture in the city for more than 30 years, has been bought by the national retailer for an undisclosed sum.
Wellgosh has a store in the city’s pedestrianised High Street and an online operation, and stocks the latest footwear and clothes from streetwear brands such as Adidas, Fred Perry, Admiral, New Balance and Y-3.
The High Street store is currently closed due to the latest lockdown, having shut for the first time in its 32-year history in March 2020, when the first national lockdown began.
Talking about the deal with JD Sports, a Wellgosh spokesperson told LeicestershireLive: “We are delighted to have agreed this deal, which will give us the opportunity to grow and develop the business in line with our ambitions as well as securing the future of the staff.
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“Our loyal customers will be pleased to hear that Wellgosh will continue to stock the awesome line-up of premium streetwear and exclusive trainers for which we are well known, and we will be further expanding our top-tier brand offering in the months to come.”
According to Companies House, JD Sports Fashion Plc took a significant controlling interest in the autumn, and Wellgosh moved its registered office address to the JD Sports HQ in Bury, Lancashire.
LeicestershireLive has asked JD Sports for information on its plans for the Wellgosh brand, and is awaiting a reply.
In September 2020, Wellgosh teamed up with sportswear giant Admiral to release an exclusive range celebrating Leicester’s heritage.
Admiral was founded in 1903 in Wigston and has gone on to gain international recognition and established itself as one of the big players in sportswear, producing premium products.
(Image: Google)
The Admiral Sporting Goods Co., or ASGco., range pays homage to the brand’s Leicester roots with product names including the ‘Wigston’ sweatshirt, the ‘Aylestone’ t-shirt and the ‘Beaumont’ training shirt.
The news of the Wellgosh sale comes after JD Sports bought US trainer retailer Shoe Palace for $325 million (£243.8 million) last month.
That acquisition was part of the retailer’s expansion into the US, and it said the deal “complements” the Finish Line shoe-store chain it bought in 2018. JD said that purchase would help to grow its footprint across the US west coast and increase its appeal among Hispanic and Latino shoppers, who form a significant proportion of Shoe Palace’s sales.
