EE reopens in Elgin with new High Street store supporting St Giles Centre traders
EE is returning to Elgin with a new store designed to help local businesses hit by the closure of the St Giles Centre.
The tech giant opens its new shop on High Street today, nine months after the sudden closure of the St Giles Centre forced 15 traders, including EE, to move out.
The new store - the first of its kind in Scotland - features an ‘Elgin retail revival’ concession, giving small businesses affected by the closure a chance to showcase their products for one weekend each month in the crucial run-up to Christmas.
Local clothing brand Smadug will be the first to take up the pop-up spot from today until tomorrow, followed by Covesea Candles on October 29.
Smadug owner Sharon Davidson said the chance to return to the High Street means a lot after being forced to move online when the St Giles centre closed.
“When the St Giles Centre closed in January, it was heart-breaking for local retailers and meant many of us lost a real connection to the Elgin community,” she said. “The in-person retail experience is so important to us because it allows customers to feel the quality of our products, something that’s hard to convey online.
“We’re thrilled to return to the high street this weekend and be the first resident of EE’s ‘Elgin Retail Revival’ so we can share what we’ve been working on over the past year.”
EE Retail Director Asif Aziz said the company wanted to give something back to the town after months of operating from a temporary truck.
“We’ve been working hard to give the people of Elgin a permanent destination for their tech needs, and I’m pleased to say our new store is better than anything that’s gone before,” he said. “We thought it only fitting that we extend that same lifeline to others.”
The new shop offers customers advice on mobiles, broadband and gaming, with expert EE guides on hand to help. It’s part of the company’s £3 million UK investment in new-style high street stores.
EE’s Elgin store is located at 107-109 High Street and opens at 8am today.