A final visit to Homebase’s closing day sale reveals stripped shelves, desperate buyers, and sad staff as a store closes for good.
The store was unrecognizable. It was once a key place in my life. Now, it was a desperate clearance sale. They even sold staff lockers. Last year, Homebase announced administration. Thousands of jobs were at risk then. They sought buyers for DIY outlets.
The Range bought some stores quickly. Sainsbury’s bought others. Some stores remained unwanted. My local store was in Leeds. It sat on the market and stock dwindled slowly there.
Saturday was the final day. I wasn’t ready for the sight. The place was stripped bare then. Not even a can of paint stood there.
Staff looked sad. Displays were ripped down. Shelves were dismantled fast as the aisles came apart then.
It was an empty warehouse. All branding disappeared. A few items sat near the front. It looked like a sad sale as the situation seemed desperate inside.
People bought the shelves. Everything had a price sticker. Someone bought the microwave. It was from the kitchen, used, and unpackaged. People loaded wooden boards, grabbing shelving units while the staff lockers cost only £20.
Besides the fixtures sale, supplies were low. They had screws and filler, toilet cisterns, and metal house numbers.
I considered buying toilet spares. I chose door numbers instead and paid 19p. The staff printed a receipt. What use is it now, if they are faulty? Soon I left Homebase for good.
This place furnished our first home. My wife bought her tree there, continuing a childhood tradition. We bought baby furnishings last year. I feel bad for the staff because we lost something special too. It cannot be replaced easily. A new store opens next month.