STORE owner and manager Chris O’Dea is adding a new gem to his fashion chain.

The women’s and juniors’ shop, in Cotham Street, now includes a watch and jewellery boutique.

The new department, which opened yesterday, occupies the former Kamera photographic premises, which closed down almost three years ago and stood vacant since.

The jewellery store, which stocks the likes of Hugo Boss and Raymond Weil jewellery, will create three new full-time jobs.

Chris, 45, originally from Parr, started the business 23 years ago and now has two stores covering 10,000 square feet – the Cotham Street shop and the men’s branch in Barrow Street.

He said: “I used to spend all my money in a designer clothes shop in St Helens – it was the late ‘80s and early ‘90s – and I was gutted when it closed down.

“So I took it on myself. We were originally in the cellar of a hairdresser and now we have the two shops and employ 20 staff.”

Chris’s wife Helen, who has almost 30 years’ experience working in jewellery, will be buyer for the store.

He added: “We’re not trying to compete with the town’s existing jewellers, we’re not stocking traditional jewellery – it’s more an expansion of the designer brands we already stock. So people can come to one place and get a whole outfit.

“We always reinvest back into the business. If there’s something we can improve on, we are always looking to do it.”

OD’s children’s department is set to grow in August, says Chris, and there are plans for further expansion next year.

He said: “This is a positive thing for St Helens. It’s good for the town centre and the local economy. As well as local customers, we have people who come in from out of town solely because of what we can offer.”