John Lewis has unveiled two brand-new concepts at its newly refurbished Bluewater store, delivering its first-ever 650-square-metre Gifting Emporium and the most significant change to its Home department following a nearly GBP 10m investment.
The ambitious overhaul comes in response to customer demand, with visits to the brand’s online gifting hub up 15 percent year-on-year.
The new Gifting Emporium, spanning an area roughly the size of three tennis courts, is home to almost 1,800 new products and 14 new brands, offering inspiration and a curated selection of gifts for all occasions that customers can explore firsthand.
These are grouped by passion points such as ‘Home Lover’, ‘Hobbies & Adventure’, ‘Botanist’, ‘Foodie’, ‘Spa & Wellbeing’, and ‘Kids’.
In parallel, the Bluewater store debuts the biggest-ever change to John Lewis' Home department. Moving beyond individual products, the new concept invites customers to shop by inspiration.
Everyone passionate about interiors can experience their dream space with five distinct styles curated by in-house designers: ‘Heritage’, ‘Modern Lux’, ‘Scandi’, ‘Rustic’, and ‘Timeless’. This new 'shop by style' approach is designed to inspire customers and help them discover and create a complete look.
Bluewater is the first store to feature these flagship concepts, which are set to be rolled out to more John Lewis stores. The biggest refurbishment of a John Lewis in four years, the Bluewater store has seen every corner of its 31,000-square-metre space transformed.
“From weddings, new babies, and thoughtful thank yous, John Lewis has long been the home of year-round gifting. This year, we are turbo-charging that with the launch of our first Gifting Emporium,” said Jason Wilary-Attew, Director of Home at John Lewis.
“I'm equally thrilled to unveil the biggest transformation we've ever made to the Home department. Our new lifestyle-led concept, built around five distinct styles, is designed to inspire customers and make it easier than ever to create a look they love. Bluewater is the perfect destination to touch, see, and feel both of these incredible new experiences first-hand, and we look forward to introducing them to more of our stores in the future.”
Beyond the new Gifting and Home concepts, the refurbishment includes a reimagined Beauty Hall with new premium brands like Fenty, Byredo, and Medik8, along with expanded Men's and Women's Fashion departments and a new Waterstones shop-in-shop.
This is part of the brand's GBP 800m multi-year investment project, reinforcing John Lewis' commitment to providing customers with unparalleled shopping experiences.
