TV Dragon Peter Jones is reopening two Jessops camera stores today following his buy-out of the brand after it went into administration.
The entrepreneur is opening stores in London and Birmingham and relaunching the camera stores' website.
Over the Easter weekend he will reopen four further stores in Manchester, Aberdeen, High Wycombe and St Albans.
Leicester-based Jessops closed all 187 of its stores and axed about 1,500 jobs when it plunged into administration in January.
Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) blamed tough competition from supermarkets and online retailers for the group's demise.
Jessops made a loss of £8.8 million on sales of £194.9million from January 2, 2012 to November 25, 2012, according to a PwC report.
Jessops' head office in Braunstone Frith axed dozens of jobs after the collapse.
A joint venture by Dragons' Den star Peter Jones and turnaround specialist Hilco bought the Jessops name and website for £1.4 million. Mr Jones said he plans to have 30 stores under the relaunch, and has invested £4 million. It will create 100s of jobs.
However, the business's last remaining city store in Gallowtree Gate will not reopen as it is being turned into a Pret a Manger sandwich shop.
Mr Jones said the Jessops stores will be more interactive and will include a Jessops Academy, offering photography courses and training.
He said the new brand will have a strong emphasis on online sales, and will match competitors' prices.
He said: "We've got a real chance of making it a success. The big thing about Jessops is the fact there is not another retailer in the country that has such experienced passionate staff when it comes to camera equipment sales. That makes a big difference.
"We have to keep it lean and mean."
The business was founded by Frank Jessop in 1935, in a store in Southgate Street, Leicester. Frank's son, Alan, sold the firm in 1996 to the company's management.
