Søstrene Grene Sheffield: Hundreds queue from 7am as major new store opens in Cambridge Street development

Shoppers started arriving outside the new Søstrene Grene store, in Grosvenor House, on Cambridge Street, from around 7am, with estimates suggesting nearly 300 were in the queue to get in on what was its opening day. Our picture galley, below shows the first day’s shopping.

They were greeted with a red carpet and the entrance, as well as a gateway made of balloons, and a string trio playing music.

The huge queues formed after the Danish homeware chain announced goodie bags and rugs worth £60 for the first 100 customers.

The company said on Twitter: “Søstrene Grene is now open! Your 'hygge' homeware and lifestyle dreams will now come true in #Sheffield.”

Jonathan Cooper, joint venture partner for the brand, said before opening: “I hope it works in Sheffield. What I would really like is to bring people back into the city centre.

“We’ve got Marmadukes next door and hopefully other interesting retailers coming opposite. People will be able to come into town, buy some craft or interior items, and then go for a coffee or lunch.

“They should be able to make a day of it in the city centre. We do find there’s a lot of leisure time in our stores.

“We find people come into the other shops and think it will be expensive, and walk around it like it’s a museum, but it is really affordable. It’s such good value.”

The new shop is within the Heart of the City project, which also includes a food hall, and the redevelopment of what was previously the Cole Brothers and John Lewis stores.

The Sheffield store is the first Søstrene Grene shop to open in Yorkshire, but the company is aiming to have 100 open in the UK by the end of 2027.

Councillor Ben Miskell, chair of Sheffield City Council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said earlier this month: “We’re proud to be the first location in Yorkshire to welcome the brand and confident it will go down a storm with our shoppers. It’s a fantastic long-term addition to the city centre and reflects the quality of brands we are targeting for the development.”

It comes as city centre visitors on the streets of Sheffield told the Star the city needs more shops in the centre

Mike Chapman, a former steelworker: “I think it needs more good quality shops. They’re losing that because the internet is taking all the sales away. When Coles was here it was a lovely shop.”

Trina Axelby, of Mosborough agreed. Asked what the city needed more of she said: “Some nice, lovely shops, most of them have closed down now.”