Dozens of shoppers queued outside the new Joules store in Ipswich overnight for the official opening of the outlet.
The first to arrive, Anna Matthews of Le Tour Cycle Cafe, was there at 3am – the earliest of around 60 people.
A gift voucher worth £200 was presented to the 48-year-old – the ten shoppers behind her got £100, while the following ten received £50.
Every customer in the queue after the first 21 were offered a gift bag and a 15% off voucher as a welcome.
Anna said: “I got here at 3am because I’m really passionate about Ipswich and I think a Joules store in the centre of town will be amazing for us.
“I think small businesses are going to benefit and I think large businesses will actually get on board and say, let’s move to Ipswich too.
“It’s been a great event because there’s a warmth in the crowd, we’ve had music, we’ve had lovely snacks and coffees from Joules and tea and it’s just all good.
“What a way to start June 1.”
Joules marketing officer Lauren Hopkins said staff were delighted to bring the store to Ipswich.
“We’ve had an amazing response,” she said.
“Everyone in the queue – which increased from about 40 to 60 throughout the morning – was ready to get their hands on our new collection.
“We have a lot of other stores across Suffolk and it’s brilliant to bring a shop to the centre of Ipswich, the county’s biggest town.”
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