▁well ▁as ▁several ▁others ▁in ▁the ▁wider ▁Black ▁Country ▁area , ▁but ▁surprising ly , ▁the ▁B rier ley ▁Hill ▁store ▁remained ▁open . ▁ ▁A ▁second ▁sho pping ▁centre ▁opened ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁level ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁the ▁centre ▁was ▁expanded ▁further ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁include ▁an ▁upper ▁level , ▁although ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁centre ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁- ▁by ▁which ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁sho pping ▁centre ▁in ▁Europe . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁completion , ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁included ▁several ▁multiple ▁stores ▁including ▁cl othing ▁ret ail ers : ▁C & A ▁and ▁Little wood s , ▁general ▁department ▁store ▁British ▁Home ▁St ores ▁and ▁super market ▁chain ▁S ains bur ys , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁numerous ▁smaller ▁ret ail ers . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Mark s ▁& ▁Sp encer ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁department ▁store ▁at ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁( the ▁final ▁new ▁store ▁to ▁open ▁at ▁the ▁complex ), ▁replacing ▁the ▁recently ▁closed ▁stores ▁in ▁nearby ▁D ud ley ▁and ▁West ▁B rom wich . ▁The ▁ret ail er ▁had ▁agreed ▁to ▁become ▁ten ants ▁of ▁a ▁store ▁at ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁during ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁but ▁had ▁hoped ▁to ▁keep ▁their ▁D ud ley ▁and ▁West ▁B rom wich ▁stores ▁open ▁alongside ▁it ; ▁however ▁the ▁decl ining ▁trade ▁in ▁both ▁of