The news marks another chapter in the building’s history, which has seen several businesses come and go over the years.
The store – dating back to the 1860s according to Havering Libraries – was first Danny Stone’s draper shop at 62 Market Place.
The original building expanded over time, with the owners first buying 60 Market Place in the 1880s, followed by former pub the Windmill and Bells at 64 Market Place in 1910, and eventually all the way up to 72 Market Place.
Once Stone’s merged with Debenhams, a completely new shop was built and opened to the public in March 1963.
It then became known as Debenhams in 1973, and remained one of the town’s most well-known shopping destinations for almost 50 years.
READ MORE: The history of Romford shopping centres in nostalgic photos
In December 2019, the building was sold for £12 million to private UK investors Mitul Jay Patel and Rohan Jay Patel of NWT Real Estate, with the help of real estate giant Savills.
But Debenhams struggled in the years that followed, entering administration twice in 2019 and 2020, before the brand name was bought by Boohoo in January 2021.
Boohoo did not save any of the physical stores, and in May 2021 Romford’s Debenhams shut for good, along with more than 100 other shops across the UK.
Six months later, the building was given a new lease of life as Aklu Plaza, named after the owner, Aklu Miah, who also owned Food Bazaar.
The plaza was launched with Home Superstore on the ground floor, but the first floor of the mall remained shut until April 2022 due to delays.
READ MORE: A ‘giant pub’ or John Lewis: What should replace Home Store in Romford?
It eventually opened with a large wedding store, SK Boutique, occupying much of the space.
However, Home Superstore and SK Boutique both shut down within months, leaving few businesses still operating within the mall.
This prompted Mr Miah to end the building’s lease in October 2023.
In June 2024, Home Store took over part of the ground floor of the unit, selling a wide range of items such as clothes, bedding and kitchenware.
However, less than a year later, it is now set to close.
The impending closure of Home Store has sparked speculation about what might come next for the building.
Some shoppers have suggested it could be taken over by John Lewis or a “big brand name”, while others have called for a “giant pub” in the unit.
As it stands, the future of the iconic building remains uncertain.
