Next opened its first department store in Watford this week
// Next opens new department store in Watford that brings together its fashion, home and beauty offer for the first time
// The store spreads across three floors and is more than 94,000 sq ft
Next has opened a new department store which combines the brand’s home, beauty and fashion offers for the first time.
The store opened in Atria Watford, owned by property company SGS, where Next relocated its existing clothing store to the site of Next Beauty & Home – which was one of its first beauty formats, opening in October 2020.
The new store is almost three times as big as the original at 94,000 sq ft.
The department store also features a 1270sq ft Mamas & Papas concession, and spreads across three floors.
The store also has an adjoining Victoria’s Secret, in which Next owns a majority stake in the UK.
The 4,500sq ft lingerie retailer connects to the main Next store and also has it’s own entrance.
The megastore’s arrival comes as Next moves towards a department store model. The retailer, which has long sold fashion and home, has been growing its beauty business and introducing an array of concessions in its larger stores.
Its Oxford Street store includes Gap, Clarks, Paperchase and Costa Coffee concessions.
Global Mutual head of European retail asset management, Steve Gray said: “Next’s combined store is a UK first – which is hugely exciting – and the unit will now also incorporate Mamas & Papas, a brand much loved by our visitors.
“We’re currently seeing more and more retailers making use of concessions to diversify their offer and drive footfall – a trend we expect to persist.
“We look forward to working closely with our new additions and are confident that they will thrive here at Atria Watford – where healthy footfall, a compelling leisure offering and a strong existing tenant mix act as a combination for success.”
Next is opening a second department store format in Manchester’s Trafford Centre later this year.
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