Kitchenwares retailer Steamer Trading Cookshop opened its 18th store last week and plans to increase its portfolio by more than a third.

Managing director Ben Phillips said he wants to have 30 stores by 2011 and expects the latest store to reach sales of about£1 million in its first year.

The 3,000 sq ft (280 sq m) store at Marlow in Buckinghamshire has been designed around the architectural features of the Grade II* listed building that houses it in the heart of the town.

The store is divided by internal stone arches and has a knife wall, crockery area and the cash-and-wrap at the front, with the rest of the offer in the larger area at the back of the shop.

All of the retailer’s stores are in the Southeast, but Phillips would like to expand into “some of the better northern towns as well”.

According to figures filed at Companies House, Steamer Trading Cookshop notched up pre-tax profits of£2.7 million on sales of£9.3 million in the year to December 31.

Commenting on current trading across the chain, Phillips said: “I think we’ll end up with this year being fairly flat.”