John Lewis opens first pop-up

John Lewis is opening its first ever pop-up shop to promote its debut smaller-format ‘flexible’ multichannel store in Exeter.

JohnLewis

The pop-up will open on 3 September giving customers a six-week preview of the range of fashion, beauty, consumer electronics and home products that will be available in the first “flexible format” smaller store due to open in October.

It will offer John Lewis’s click and collect services so that customers can order from the full range online and collect from the pop-up the next day.

The pop-up will also be the first time John Lewis reveals a number of new and exclusive ranges such as Alice Temperley designed womenswear brand  Somerset, JME by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and House, an affordable homewear range.

Peter Ruis, brand and buying director at John Lewis says: “This way of launching a new shop really engages with the local community, whilst at the same time goes back to the basics of retailing – finding a site, choosing an edited assortment and presenting it to customers in a creative and unique way.”

The permanent store in Exeter is part of John Lewis’s long-term strategy to build its multichannel business and extend its reach beyond locations for its large traditional department stores.

It will be much smaller at 65,000 sq ft than a traditional department store which can reach up to 132,000 sq ft.

The stores have been designed to encourage customers to take advantage of its multichannel operations using kiosks, in-store technology and click and collect.

John Lewis plans to open a chain of 10 smaller format stores to help it accelerate growth of its bricks and mortar presence alongside its digital business.

Recommended