A store that sells everything including the kitchen sink is expanding.

Hardware giant Gorham’s plans to open a second branch in the western parishes early next year.

The new premises, a former Oleander Cycles rental office on Middle Road, straddles the Southampton and Sandys border.

Andrew Mackay, the chief executive of Gorham’s, said the location was perfect for construction companies working on projects in the West End who can pick up materials without having to go into Hamilton.

He explained that the plan is for the new branch to be perceived as a convenience store.

Customer demand will influence which items from Gorham’s vast inventory — the company’s huge store on St John’s Road sells everything from building supplies to garden furniture, toys and household goods — will go on sale.

The company earlier hinted that developments were in the pipeline and an advertisement ran in The Royal Gazette in February with the tag line “Watch this space”.

Mr Mackay confirmed this week that the expansion plan was moving ahead.

He said: “We were able to get access to the Oleander property and are now looking to open early in 2025.

“It’s basically going to be a smaller version of the main store. It’s a smaller location so we can’t have as much selection but we’re trying to find the best mix of products.

“We want to have as wide a selection as possible but it’s going to be consumer driven. We want it to be like a convenience store.”

Mr Mackay said the move was part of a wider drive by the company to encourage residents to make purchases on the island.

He said: “Retail in Bermuda is in really bad shape at the moment and we need to turn that around.

“Our ultimate goal is to bring back shopping to Bermuda and to make it exciting so that people don’t go overseas or online to shop.

“We hear complaints about the lack of variety and service in Bermuda so we have to get the customers back. And we’re going to make this work because, just think of all the money that goes overseas and is not going to come back to Bermuda.”