John Lewis says it is taking its first steps towards an international online trading strategy by opening at Heathrow’s Terminal 2.
Its 3,600 sq ft airport shop at the new Terminal 2 will feature home, fashion, gifting and seasonal ranges and will, said the retailer, be part of the first impression for passengers passing through security to the departure lounge.
The move will put John Lewis in front of passengers travelling to the 33 countries where John Lewis currently delivers online orders. Those countries equate to 75% of Terminal 2 destinations. The shop, which is to open on June 4, will showcase John Lewis own-brand products, designer collaborations and exclusives.
“This new opening is a huge and exciting step forward in developing our international strategy, giving us access to one of the most concentrated valuable and influential markets in the world,” said John Lewis managing director Andy Street. “We recently made clear our ambition to further develop our online presence internationally in addition to increasing our international wholesale business. This opportunity at Heathrow perfectly complements and enhances these intiatives.”
Muriel Zingraff-Shariff, retail director at Heathrow, said: “We’re excited to bring John Lewis to Heathrow and share this much loved British retail brand with our international audience.”
John Lewis will invest more than £1m in the shop, which is part of a five-year £11bn transformation of Heathrow. The new terminal will feature multi-lingual ambassadors and personal shoppers. Heathrow stores are among some of the most successful retail spaces in the world, turning over net sales of more than £1.7bn and serving passengers from around 180 worldwide destinations.
