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But the attendance of two very special celebrities attracted great excitement.
Hundreds of people streamed into the shop to meet the stars with one customer proclaiming meeting his footballing hero had “made his day”.
England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman and TV presenter Helen Skelton cut the ribbon to officially open the store.
They then spent hours taking photos with fans and answering their questions about the great outdoors.
Seaman has turned his attention away from football to fishing, his other great love. He first started fishing with his dad’s friends when he was around 10.
“I don’t play football anymore; I don’t even try and play football anymore. I still ice skate a little bit but fishing is the thing that makes me relax.
“When I started playing football, I would go golfing but I’d come away more frustrated if I didn’t play well.
“I started fishing again and I was hooked!
“Even if I don’t catch, I still feel relaxed because I’m around wildlife and I can bird watch. The wildlife is the main part of it. Now I live on a river and we see kingfishers every day.”
Speaking about the Oxford Road store, he added: “It’s absolutely massive. It shows you how much demand there is for outdoors activities now. There’s everything there for you. I’ve got a big car outside so I’m going to fill it up!”
Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton, who shot to fame during her time co-presenting Blue Peter, is a GO Outdoors ambassador for clothing brand North Ridge.
“I spend half of my life in this shop and half of my salary in GO Outdoors because I’m happier outside than in. If it’s a wet day, just come here and the kids will spend hours running around.”
Skelton grew up on a farm in the Lake District so she’s always had an affinity with the outdoors. She enjoys going camping and paddle boarding with her children.
“It has always been my passion and my background. My kids are exactly the same. If they spend the day outside, they eat better and sleep better.”
She has completed a number of challenges over the years. Her favourite was kayaking the entire length of the Amazon.
“In GO Outdoors everyone is passionate and helpful. They make camping and riding more accessible and they help you get started. It’s a route in to try lots of different things.”
The Swindon store itself is impressive. The space was already huge but a mezzanine has been added since the unit’s Toys R Us days so stock is spread across two floors.
This means the outdoor retailer can accommodate an enormous array of products, from camping equipment to bikes to equestrian clothing and footwear.
Esteemed equestrian brand Naylors and angling range Fishing Republic have their own sections within the store.
Store manager Kate Magee said: “We’ve tried to employ end-users so in the fishing department they are big fishermen and in the equestrian department they have horses.
“That’s to make it more authentic and you need those specialists to answer customers’ questions.”
The fate of the unit was a subject of great interest after Toys R Us left in 2018. It has remained empty ever since.
The space has been transformed in the space of weeks. Less than a month ago one of the Toys R Us signs could still be seen on the building. Staff worked around the clock for the past two weeks to get the shop ready.
Most employees have moved over from the old GO Outdoors site on Ocotal Way but the company has hired another 35 people to accommodate the larger space.
