Sweet smell of success arrives in St Elli Shopping Centre


The sweet smell of success is arriving in Llanelli’s St Elli Shopping Centre this week.
And the opening of the new Yankee Candle shop brings good jobs news for staff at the soon-to-close Dorothy Perkins fashion shop in Vaughan Street.
Six members of the Dorothy Perkins team will be making the short walk to the cosy new Yankee Candle shop under the St Elli Pyramid.
“It’s a spot of luck for us in that it has made recruitment for our new Yankee Candle shop very easy,” said proprietor Catherine Williams.
“They say that as one door closes, another one opens. Gemma Buffrey from Dorothy Perkins is going to be our shop manager and she is bringing the other ladies with her, so I am getting a whole team all in one go.”
Manager Gemma said: “Dorothy Perkins is due to close next month, so you can imagine it has been a stressful time for everyone. But this opportunity has come along, thanks to Catherine, and we are all chuffed to bits to get jobs at Yankee Candle.”
The opening of the Yankee Candle shop is the second bit of good news this year for the St Elli Shopping Centre, the trading hub of Llanelli.
Work is in progress on an innovative mini car showroom featuring cars from Sinclair Volkswagen Swansea.
Shopfitters at the Yankee Candle shop, meanwhile, have been pulling out all stops to get the premises ready for a Friday/Saturday opening this week.
“It’s a very exciting time for us and I am looking forward to bringing something new to Llanelli,” said proprietor Catherine, who also runs Yankee Candle outlets at Posh Frocks in Uplands and Sweet Scent of Yankee Candle in Sketty Park, Swansea.
“I’ve been in business 24 years and am from Swansea, but I have spent the last few months looking at a number of different shopping centres in South Wales with a view to opening a new Yankee Candle business.
“Llanelli has really impressed me. There is a lot going on. The manager here, Andrew Stephens, has been really helpful and the footfall of customers through the centre makes it a very attractive proposition for us.
“The Yankee Candle brand is very well known worldwide. The brand has been going since the late 1960s. The range of candles goes from £1.25 to £19.99, so there is something to suit everyone. Customers rate them very highly as value-for-money products. We also have other gifts available.”
St Elli Centre manager Andrew Stephens said he was delighted to see the Yankee Candle shop opening in Llanelli.
"We don’t believe in preaching doom and gloom about the High Street here. There is plenty to be optimistic about.
“What is interesting is that there are companies out there willing and prepared to invest in Llanelli.
“The High Street and the shopping experience is changing all the time and one of the ways in which change can be good is to see lots more individual, locally-owned shop outlets opening up. They add variety and character to the shopping experience.”

St. Elli Shopping Centre is at the heart of Llanelli. Since its opening in 1997, it has become a defining landmark in the town. It offers an entirely enclosed shopping environment with nearly20 stores all under its distinctive glass pyramid ceiling.
Within the centre, you will find an exciting cocktail of shopping outlets in a sparkling and convenient mall, served with ample parking and excellent service from friendly store staff.
Book-ended by a Asda supermarket and a popular and traditional market-hall, St. Elli Shopping Centre offers a wide range of shopping outlets to choose from with children's entertainment a permanent fixture and centre aisle attractions providing regular features. 
Pictures:
The Yankee Candle team: left to right, shop assistant Fran Rees, proprietor Catherine Williams and shop manager Gemma Buffrey. 
Below - Andrew Stephens welcomes Catherine Williams to the St Elli Shopping Centre.

Weblinks:
http://www.stelli.co.uk
http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk

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