Maidstone shoppers asked : will 2 new brands replace Zara and Quiz at Fremlin Walk, with 50% deals?

After a bruising year for the high street, fresh names and sharper prices are reshaping one of Kent’s busiest centres.

Change has arrived on Maidstone’s Fremlin Walk, where a new homeware retailer has opened and a health chain has filed plans to take space. Shoppers can expect new ranges, revived fronts and a clearer sense that the retail mix is moving again.

What’s opening, where and when

Home Store has launched in the former Zara unit with a broad home and kitchen offer. Holland & Barrett looks set to follow by taking over the neighbouring space vacated by Quiz, subject to signage approval. The moves plug gaps left by two high-profile exits and start to rebuild momentum in the mall.

Home Store opens in Zara’s old unit with an introductory sale of up to 50% off selected lines.

Holland & Barrett has applied to Maidstone council for glass-mounted lettering and an illuminated hanging sign at the ex-Quiz store.

At-a-glance: unit changes on Fremlin Walk

Home Store throws open the doors

The new Home Store fills the sizeable footprint left by Zara’s December 2023 departure. The retailer focuses on affordable interior refreshes. Shoppers will find curtains, cushions, decorative pieces and everyday kitchenware. Price points target quick uplift purchases as well as larger basket shops.

Staff flagged a “special opening” promotion, with tags showing reductions of up to 50% on selected lines. Early traffic suggests the offer has landed well with families preparing for autumn resets and students setting up shared homes. The unit’s window scheme leans on neutral tones and practical bundles that encourage add-on buys such as cookware sets with matching utensils.

Holland & Barrett lines up the former Quiz space

Planning documents lodged last week propose glass-mounted lettering and an illuminated hanging sign featuring the brand’s logo at the ex-Quiz unit. That signals a standard fit-out ahead of trading. The application sits with Maidstone council’s planning team, which typically reviews signage requests on design and public realm grounds.

Holland & Barrett would add a strong wellbeing anchor to Fremlin Walk’s mix. Expect vitamins, sports nutrition, free-from snacks and specialist beauty. The brand has leaned into advice-led selling, so a refurbished interior with clear consultation points is likely once consent lands and contractors move in.

A centre finding its rhythm again

Fremlin Walk lost two well-known fashion names in quick succession. Zara shut without warning during the festive rush last year. Quiz closed its unit after the chain fell into insolvency and shuttered 23 stores nationwide. That left blank frontages at a time when shoppers value clear choice and convenience.

Openings since summer point the other way. Danish homeware and lifestyle label Søstrene Grene joined in late August, taking over the former Laura Ashley spot by Frasers. The store’s offer spans soft furnishings, kitchenware, small furniture, craft kits, seasonal decor and children’s toys. Coffee brand Jamaica Blue revived the café pitch once held by Patisserie Valerie, which quit earlier this year and no longer trades in Kent. The café draws breakfast and late-morning footfall back onto the mall.

Why these moves matter for shoppers

• Broader choice: fashion exits made room for home, wellness and café formats that match current spend patterns.
• Value signals: opening reductions at Home Store bring sharper pricing ahead of Christmas budgets.
• Everyday utility: Holland & Barrett adds practical weekly-shop items, from supplements to healthy snacks.
• Convenience: a fuller line-up reduces the need to travel for basics, gifts and small home upgrades.

How long could signage approval take?

Most signage applications move through a short, design-led process. Councils tend to check illumination levels, materials and alignment with existing frontages. In many cases, a decision arrives within weeks rather than months. Fit-out usually follows quickly once contractors receive the green light. Shoppers can look for incoming hoardings and recruitment posters as early hints of a launch date.

Pricing, ranges and seasonal timing

Home Store’s launch falls at a handy moment for autumn refreshes. Throws, cushion sets and heavier curtains sell strongly as temperatures dip and energy use rises. Kitchenware sales also climb as households cook more at home. The up to 50% reductions will attract first visits and basket-building, especially on staples like bakeware and storage.

Holland & Barrett tends to flex ranges by season. Expect immunity lines, vitamin D and sleep support to feature as daylight hours shorten. Snack bays usually rotate with high-protein and low-sugar options as people reset routines after summer.

Key takeaways for your next visit

Expect faster footfall around the Zara-to-Home Store corner and the Quiz-to-H&B frontage once signage goes up.

The centre’s mix now tilts toward home, wellbeing and casual café stops, with fashion still anchored by other national names.

Context behind the changes

Retailers have trimmed estate sizes since 2023 to cut rent and stock risk. Large, two-level fashion units sit hardest to sustain without very high turnover. Homeware and health formats can work profitably with tighter ranges and faster inventory turns. That shift explains why units vacated by fashion can suit brands such as Home Store and Holland & Barrett.

Søstrene Grene’s arrival strengthens the home-led cluster and encourages cross-shopping. A parent picking up craft supplies may browse kitchen accessories next door. Jamaica Blue’s presence supports dwell time, which benefits new retailers by lifting casual browsing and impulse purchasing.

Practical pointers and what to watch next

Check centre opening hours before you go, as seasonal trading times change in November and December. Launch-period deals can sell through quickly, so ask staff about restock dates for popular lines. If you track dietary supplements, bring your current products to compare per-dose pricing and ingredient strengths across the Holland & Barrett wall bays once the store opens.

Keep an eye on planning notices in the unit windows and on hoardings. Recruitments for store managers and advisors usually appear just before fit-out completes. That often signals a launch within weeks. If you plan a larger home refresh, consider timing purchases to coincide with multibuy promotions and Black Friday cycles, which many homeware chains now scale across late November weekends.