Mobile phone operators blamed for the collapse of retailer Phones 4U have swooped in to buy some of the stores, saving hundreds of jobs.
Phones 4U went into administration last week, closing 450 stores with several local outlets including in Broadmead, Bedminster, Yate and Kingswood.
More than 5,000 staff were made redundant nationwide, including in Exeter and Exmouth.
The company was making strong profits but collapsed after Vodafone and then EE became the final mobile operators to cut ties with the store, making its business model unsustainable.
Now EE, which employs hundreds of people in Bristol at its Aztec West HQ, has agreed to buy 58 of the stores, safeguarding 359 jobs.
The stores will be re-branded as EE and staff will transfer to their new employer straight away.
Vodafone announced a similar deal to take 130 stores on Friday.
And Dixons Carphone has agreed to hire the 800 staff who had been employed in Phones 4U concessions in its Currys and PC World stores.
The moves by EE and Vodafone is seen as part of a trend by mobile operators to cut out the middle man and deal with customers direct.
Neither firm, nor administrators PWC, have revealed which stores have been sold at this stage.
A spokesman for EE gave a brief statement: "We can confirm that we have agreed with the Phones 4u administrator to purchase 58 stores, safeguarding 359 jobs, subject to court approval."
