On Good Friday, the eagerly anticipated grand opening of The Range in Portlaoise took place, despite the Easter rain. Shoppers braved the weather to queue ahead of the official opening, with many eager to be among the first to experience the store’s extensive stock of homeware and gardening goods.

• The Range group said shoppers were keen to be among the first to experience the store, with early queues forming outside. The first 50 customers were treated to goodie bags, filled with over 20 of the retailer’s most-loved products.
• A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held, marking the official opening of the store, with Cllr Padraig Fleming, the Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, in attendance.

The Range group stated that a highlight of the new Laois store is the ‘Garden Centre by Homebase’, offering a selection of outdoor plants, gardening tools and supplies to satisfy every green-fingered enthusiast. The outlet was formerly the location of Homebase, which had a popular garden section.

The Range is a home, leisure and gardens retailer which says it sells over 140,000 products across 18 departments including DIY, Kitchen & Dining, Furniture, Arts & Crafts and Textiles. Owned and run by entrepreneur and self-made billionaire, Chris Dawson, The Range started life as a market stall trading across the South West of England.

CEO of CDS Superstores, trading as The Range, wilko and Homebase, Alex Simpkin said: “It’s been an exciting day for The Range and our customers here in Portlaoise. The opening of this new store marks a milestone for us, especially with the introduction of Garden Centres by Homebase – a great new offering for gardening lovers.”

“We’ve combined Homebase’s trusted expertise with the diverse range of products The Range is known for, and we can’t wait for more shoppers to experience this one-stop-shop destination for home improvement and gardening,” he said.

The Portlaoise store is part of the wider expansion in Ireland and Britain throughout 2025, as stated in a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live. The newly opened store also features the free Click & Collect service, allowing customers to shop either online at www.homebase.co.uk or www.therange.co.uk and collect their purchases in-store within 60 minutes.

Special Features of the Portlaoise Store

The Portlaoise store also features a dog-friendly initiative, allowing well-behaved four-legged shoppers in store, provided they are kept on the lead. This initiative is a unique selling point of the store and is expected to be a hit with local dog owners.

A statement from the store said: “We want to make sure our customers can shop with their furry friends by their side. Our dog-friendly initiative is designed to make shopping a more enjoyable experience for both you and your dog.”

“We can’t wait to welcome all the lovely dogs and their owners to our store. We are confident that our dog-friendly initiative will be a huge success and we look forward to seeing all the happy customers in store,” said a spokesperson.

Overall, the grand opening of The Range in Portlaoise has been a huge success, with shoppers enjoying the wide range of products and services on offer.