Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
John Lewis has announced plans to open its first new shop outside the UK – a full-line department store in Dublin city centre.
The move represents an investment of around £40m that will bring over 800 new jobs to Dublin. Trading over five levels, the 250,000sq ft department store will anchor the proposed Dublin Central development on O’Connell Street and is expected to open in 2013.
The store will form part of the company’s plans to double the size of its business over the next 10 years. There are currently 27 John Lewis department stores across the UK.
John Lewis has also revealed that it is investing over £20m in an overhaul of its Bluewater department store. Ten years after its opening, the branch will be substantially refurbished, with the basement converted into new retail space.
A John Lewis Foodhall from Waitrose will be created as part of the refurbishment and is expected to open in summer 2009.
Bluewater is in the top 10 highest rented retail destinations in the UK, alongside destinations such as Bond Street, Regent Street and Sloane Street.
