A brand-new shop has finally opened in the dying Allders building in Croydon, and we’ve got the first pictures for you.
On Friday (September 26), boards at Allders came down as part of the Croydon regeneration project.
Japanese-inspired lifestyle product retailer MINISO has opened, with hundreds of people queuing from the department store to as far as George Street.
The new store brings a fresh splash of colour to the struggling High Street and offers many items that cannot be easily found in typical UK chains.
MINISO sells the Mogu Mogu drinks, which are a refreshing beverage brand from Thailand that contains chewy, coconut gelatine cubes called nata de coco.
There’s a range of flavours, including mango, lychee, cotton candy, watermelon and bubble gum.
There are also cartoon drinks, like the Despicable Me Kinder Cola and the Hello Kitty juice, selling at just 99p.
MINISO also brings back crazes from the 2010s, like the famous fidget cube.
Colourful lunchboxes and water bottles are also sold here, as well as Harry Potter memorabilia.
Shoppers can buy several hair-related products relating to the Harry Potter franchise, such as the Hedwig hairbrush or a Gryffindor headband.
There’s a shelf of Hello Kitty and other animal cushions, and scented sticks of all types of flowers.
At the forefront of the store is a huge TV screen and a mural saying WELCOME TO MINISO.
Saad Usman, Chief Operating Officer at MINISO UK, said: “Opening at the Croydon Allders Parade is an exciting milestone for MINISO.
“As one of the region’s most popular shopping destinations, it’s the perfect place for us to share our brand with even more people.
“From iconic favourites like Hello Kitty to the latest collectible trends such as our Vinyl Plush and Blind Boxes, we’ll be bringing a fun and engaging shopping experience that has something for everyone.
“We’re thrilled to invite everyone in Croydon to explore and enjoy what we have in store.”
