Gloucester’s newest department store—Burkes Outlet—will have a soft opening on May 2 at the York River Crossing Shopping Center, Hayes, and hold its grand opening on May 5, according to store manger Rachel Roberts.

An article in the March 10 Gazette-Journal had originally quoted an earlier opening date, as announced by Dan Doyle, senior vice president of parent company Bealls, Inc.

Burkes Outlet, which offers brand-name apparel and accessories at discounted prices, will be part of a “combo store” with its sister store Home Centric, taking over the space formerly occupied by Peebles (and most recently Gordmans).

Peebles had operated at that location since 1990. In the spring of 2020—just as COVID-19 began to shut down stores, restaurants and everything else across the U.S.—Peebles completed the rebranding of its Hayes store to off-price department store Gordmans, a move that had been announced the previous August. Gordmans eventually shut its doors amid Covid restrictions.

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