Iconic footwear model to vanish from UK excessive avenue for good because it shuts ultimate store
Shoppers flocked to the historic store this week, forming large queues for the ‘big closing down sale’ as customers looked to pay their final respects and grab a bargain, local news outlets claim.
The store has now closed(Image: Google)
An iconic high street name is set to disappear for good after bosses announced the closure of its final store. McKillens, the beloved footwear and fashion retailer that has been a cornerstone of Ballymena’s Church Street for a century, confirmed it will shut its doors for the last time, citing the “demise of the high street” and spiralling costs.
The decision brings to an end 100 years of trading for the family-run business, which first opened in 1926.
Shoppers flocked to the historic store this week, forming large queues for the “big closing down sale” as loyal customers looked to pay their final respects and grab a bargain, local news outlets claim.
The announcement has been described as a “massive hole” in the town centre, coming as a particular shock to the local community which has served generations of families.
In an emotional statement, the McKillen family expressed their “deep regret” at the decision. “Despite having taken measures to reduce running costs, the increased overheads, online shopping and the demise of the high street have all contributed to our decision to cease trading at this point,” the statement read.
They paid tribute to their “loyal staff” and the customers who have supported them over the decades.
The closure comes at a particularly difficult time for Ballymena’s retail landscape. It follows the recent news that another long-standing local trader, Wyse Byse, is also shutting down, delivering a “double blow” to the town.
Compounding the struggle for local businesses, the closure coincides with news that rates in the area are set to rise further, adding more pressure to the few remaining independent retailers.
Local representatives and business leaders have voiced their dismay, noting that the loss of such a trailblazing retailer is a stark indicator of the harsh trading conditions facing town centers across the region.
As the shutters come down on McKillens for the final time, Ballymena bids farewell not just to a shop, but to a century of local history.
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