Bitterne Park Stores has announced its Triangle shop will be closing after five years.
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The shop, which sells everything from fruit and veg to craft beer, speciality cheeses and refillable household products, has said March, its fifth anniversary, will be its final month on the Triangle.
Writing on social media, Bitterne Park Stores said: “Our 5th Birthday is coming up next month, but next month will also be our final month trading here at Bitterne Park Triangle. It's been an incredible 5 years and they've passed in a flash - it's been so good to be back on the block, slinging cabbages and sharing cheese in the heart of Bitterne Park.”
The store stressed that it will be continuing its Bitterne Box Co delivery service across the city - and would be open during its usual trading hours until the closure.
“Gutted” appeared to be the prevailing reaction among commenters.
One said they’d only recently discovered the shop: “Love your fresh (proper fresh) produce, cheeses, chutneys, and generally delicious and unusual wares. I live miles away but pop in when I’m nearby. So sad to hear you’ll be closing. Wishing you luck in the future”.
Bitterne Park councillor Phil Webb (Lab) said: “Sorry to hear you’re off - our Cheeseboards may never recover, even if my waistline does”.
And another added: “Gutted, but good luck guys!!”.
Robin Bluemel at the Bitterne Box Co's warehouse in 2021
As we reported at the time, Robin Bluemel’s shop first opened on March 12, 2021 in premises previously occupied by the Art’el store, which offered a seasonal market for local artists and essential supplies stocked by the Bitterne Box Co during lockdown.
SOS Tools and Hardware had moved out at the end of October 2020, opening in 2013 following the departure of Clementine Toys.
Robin had also been involved with The Veg Shed, a weekly Triangle pop-up shop which said goodbye in 2017.
Next door on the Triangle, cafe The Songbird has also announced it’s closing, in April.