A mini-department store established in the wake of the Co-op closures across Suffolk and Essex have moved their Ipswich branch from Tavern Street to the Sailmakers.

Ipswich Star: Kevin Baldwin in StowmarketKevin Baldwin in Stowmarket (Image: Archant)

Baldwins, which set up by former Co-op store manager Kevin Baldwin and now has branches in Stowmarket, Dovercourt, Mersea Island and Halstead, had been operating out of other premises in Tavern Street for just over a year having previously been located at what was then Tower Ramparts.

“It is great to be back,” said Kevin, “And we have had some lovely comments already from our customers.

We do have a lot of `grey surfers’, and they are pleased that there are no stairs - they can use the or the lift.”

Baldwins is branded as home and fashion, and with changing seasonal stock.

It has been trading just over six years and Baldwins, as a business, is continuing to grow.

The Ipswich re-opening comes just a week after Baldwins opened up in Halstead High Street, taking over a well-established family menswear business.

The business had been run since 1895, by four generations of the same family. It was available because of retirement.

Mr Baldwin added: “We are continuing with menswear and the school wear business which they had. People are very pleased to see us there.”

So the Baldwins chain now includes the large store in Stowmarket, as well as shops in Dovercourt and Mersea Island, Essex. The latter which opened last summer.

“We will continue to grow, if we can find the right locations,” explained the owner.

“We will want to find the right locations, where there is not someone doing what we are doing. We don’t want to duplicate something that is already there.

“We want to develop one online business too now.”

He added: “You never know where we will pop up next.”