Building housing Guru Boutique in Darlington goes up for sale

The wacky Guru Boutique, which has been welcoming shoppers in the town centre for more than half a century, announced it would be closing its shop this summer.

Owner Beryl Hankin said she felt it “feels the right time” for the shop to close.

Read more: Legendary Darlington shop to close after 51 years as a town treasure

But now the three-storey, Grade II listed building that encases the shop has now gone on the market and could soon be taken over by a new owner.

Offers in the region of £125,000 are being accepted for the Blackwellgate shop.

Speaking after she announced the closure on February 20, Beryl, who will be 80 at the end of the year, said: “We never thought this day would come, and it’s a decision that hasn’t been taken lightly, but it just feels the right time.

She revealed that the sudden death of her beloved husband, Ray, in December 2021, coupled with her own ongoing health battle after a stage three cancer diagnosis in the same month had made her re-evaluate her life. She is now being treated for secondary cancer.

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“Losing Ray was such a shock and, with the cancer scares as well, there were days when I was having to force myself to come into the shop – and that’s just not like me,” Beryl added.

“We love Darlington, and we were doing well, but I was finding it harder and harder to smile at customers when it was something that had always come so naturally before.”

The news of Guru’s closure was met by an outpouring of comments from Echo readers expressing their shock and sympathy.

Reader Fiona Henry McGarry said: “A trip into Darlington shopping will never be the same again! Popping into see you all and finding bits and bobs and cards… and copious amounts of earrings, beads and jewellery and all! You’ve always been the linchpin to our shopping trips.”

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Another wrote: “Darlington won’t be the same without Guru.”

Guru Boutique will continue to trade online after the shop closes.

A exact closing date is yet to be announced but the lease is set to expire in June.