Fashion retailer with 10 UK sites opens in massive UK shopping centre
A fashion retailer that has been growing in popularity is opening in one of the UK’s largest supermarkets in the next few days.
A growing fashion retailer is opening its newest UK store in one of the country’s largest shopping centres. Whole stores like River Island and New Look shut a slew of stores due to financial hardships and changing customer habits, while others are expanding and opening new sites across Britain. One of those stores is Stradivarius, which is gearing up to open its first store in Kent. The womenswear brand is known for selling clothes, shoes and accessories, and already has 10 stores in the UK.
It is part of Inditex, the owner of fashion retailers Zara, Pull & Bear, and Bershka. Launched in Spain in 1999, it has become popular across Europe and now has stores in a number of countries. Stradivarius will open at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent on February 26. The new store will fill an 8,488 sq ft unit on the Lower Thames Walk, adjacent to Marks and Spencer. It adds to the 280 stores and food and drink operators already present in the massive shopping centre, which is the fifth-largest in the country.
James Waugh, centre director at Bluewater, said: “Stradivarius has been our most requested brand for some time now, and our original announcement sharing that they’d be joining our retail line-up was met with huge excitement.
“We’re delighted to be able to give fans of the brand a concrete opening date, so that they can start planning their shopping trips.
“This marks the first time our guests will be able to shop their collections in the region, and we can’t wait to welcome them through the doors when the store opens next week.”
The shops will join a generous selection of fashion retailers in the shopping centre, including Bershka, AllSaints, Diesel, Calvin Klein, Hollister, H&M, New Look, Mango and Levi’s, among others.
In total, Stradivarius has more than 900 stores in over 60 countries. It was originally a family business that started in Barcelona in 1994. It was eventually purchased by Intidex and began rapid expansion worldwide.
Stradivarius currently has four stores in London, as well as sites in Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
It isn’t the only retailer set to open at Bluewater Shopping Centre for the first time. Premium British lifestyle brand Crew Clothing is also opening on February 26 in the Kent shopping centre. The first 50 customers who spend £50 or more will receive a free Crew Clothing tote bag with an exclusive gift on the opening day.
The British company has seen sustained growth over the last few years and has stores in locations like London, Luton, Chelmsford and Berkhamsted.
