John Lewis to pilot new format in Exeter
Published: 22 July, 2011
Mini department store to be created by adding fashion to existing 'at Home' format
John Lewis has struck a deal with Land Securities to create the first of new mini department store format in Exeter. The site had originally been earmarked for the first town centre 'at Home' store, but now with will be extended to carry an edited selection of the full John Lewis offer.
The new plans will further regenerate Exeter’s city centre with John Lewis now occupying all eleven floors of the Sidwell Street site. The selling space will total 65,000 sq ft over five floors and plans include a cafe. It will be open by late 2012.
Tim Harrison, head of format development at John Lewis said, “When our landlord, Land Securities, was recently granted planning permission to release further space at the Sidwell Street site for retail use, the site matched our needs exactly for our new flexible format. We’re excited to be opening the first of these bespoke department stores in Exeter and providing shoppers in Devon and the South West with access to the full John Lewis assortment including fashion, beauty and nursery.”
John Lewis managing director Andy Street said, “There is huge potential, and a clear demand from customers, for John Lewis to expand into more locations across the UK. A flexible approach to the size of the shops we open not only provides us with the opportunity to open a flagship shop in more towns and cities across the UK, but enables us to deliver the very best retail offer to each catchment, providing our customers more convenient access to a broader range of John Lewis products.
The flexible department store format is part of John Lewis’s intention to significantly increase brand presence in the UK. On average John Lewis department stores have a selling space of 130,000 sq ft and ‘at home’ shops, around 40,000 sq ft. A more efficient shop footprint, the new format will average 65,000 to 100,000 sq ft and will allow the retailer to consider opening in locations that had not been seen to be suitable for a large traditional John Lewis branch. The retailer believes there are approximately ten locations across the UK which would support these bespoke department stores.
John Lewis is on track to open three shops in 2011, including John Lewis Stratford City in September and John Lewis 'at home' shops in Chester and Tamworth.
