A clutch of glamorous TV stars and a former international footballer sparkled at a champagne event to launch a new jewellery store in Wrexham.<\/p>\n
Cast members from the hit show Desperate Scousewives, Coronation Street star Ian Puleston-Davies and ex-Wales, Everton and Wrexham player Barry Horne added glitz to the official opening of Mococo at Eagles Meadow.<\/p>\n
From a humble start around the kitchen table of their home in Northop, Flintshire,\u00a0 diamond couple Maureen and Lee Hooson have rapidly developed their company, Mococo, over the past six years to the point where it has become one of the most important players in the business.<\/p>\n
Since Mococo was started with just \u00a3250 of Maureen\u2019s savings in 2006 it has opened five high street shops in Ruthin, Mold, Chester, Liverpool and Tarporley \u2013 and the sixth is already proving a big hit with shoppers in Eagles Meadow after another significant investment on the Hoosons\u2019 part.<\/p>\n
Their jewellery is worn by the likes of Christine Aguilera, Cheryl Cole, Holly Willoughby – and, of course the Desperate Scouswives who were represented by Amanda Harrington, Chloe Cummings and Jaiden Michael.<\/p>\n
Amid popping champagne corks, the occasion was given the real wow factor when star Ian Puleston-Davies, who plays Owen Armstrong in Corrie, pulled up outside Mococo at the wheel\u00a0 of an Aston Martin supercar.<\/p>\n
A friend of Lee Hooson from Flint, from where they both grew up, Ian stepped out of the car to say: \u201cI\u2019m delighted to be here tonight because I\u2019m very proud of Lee and Maureen and what they have achieved by setting up such a successful new business despite the recession.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am also very impressed with Eagles Meadow which is a real jewel in the crown of Wrexham.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maureen Hooson\u00a0used her original \u00a3250 investment to buy a small range of gems which she sold to friends at jewellery parties and things grew from there.<\/p>\n
With husband Lee taking care of the business side of things, Maureen concentrated on making her own jewellery and buying in prestige brands such as Baccarat and Thomas Sabo.<\/p>\n
All of items, including rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces are attractively displayed in the new Wrexham\u00a0 store.<\/p>\n
Also getting the red carpet treatment on opening night were three stunning members of the cast of E4 reality TV show Desperate Scousewives, Amanda Harrington, Chloe Cummings and Jaiden Michael.<\/p>\n
Soccer star Barry Horne said:: \u201cIt\u2019s great to see such a prestigious new shop like this opening in Eagles Meadow, which is fast becoming the place for people to shop in Wrexham.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing their business to this point in the face of a recession is a fantastic achievement by Lee and Maureen and I wish them even more success with this latest venture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barry, who turned out for Wrexham between 1984 and 1987, was invited to take a place on the club\u2019s new board after it recently came under the ownership of its supporters.<\/p>\n
Of the Reds\u2019\u00a0 re-birth he said: \u201cWe\u2019ve managed to generate some income and had a good FA Cup run, so things now look a lot more promising for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proudly welcoming guests to the new Mococo was Lee Hooson who said: \u201cI\u2019d like to thank Barry and everyone else for coming along to make this a very special evening for Maureen and myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe chose to open our sixth store in Eagles Meadow, and create five new staff jobs, because it is a popular and prestigious place and so easy to access with the car park right next to the shopping area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Wrexham shoppers will warm to us and we have already had some very favourable comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other day, I overheard one young lady say as she was looking in our window at various pieces of jewellery, \u2018Oh my goodness, I didn\u2019t realise you could get all those in Wrexham!\u2019 and I think that says it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wife Maureen agreed, saying: \u201cWe definitely have a good feeling about Eagles Meadow.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people have told me that Mococo is exactly what Wrexham needs and I think we fit very well into the general mix of high class shops within Eagles Meadow. We are delighted to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley was delighted to welcome Mococo to the busy shopping centre that’s welcomed a hat-trick of three new tenants already this year.<\/p>\n
He said: “Mococo is a brilliant addition to our fantastic range of shops and underlines our growing reputation as the fashion capital of North Wales.”<\/p>\n