House of Fraser is to open its first full-scale store for seven years in Northamptonshire, as part of a multichannel strategy to get closer to its customers.
That strategy has seen the company, an Elite retailer in the IRUK 500, sell online in the UK and beyond, through its own dedicated click and collect stores and through collection points operated in partnership with Caffe Nero. Upcoming initiatives include website launches for first the Australian and later Chinese markets. Now it is to open a new department store anchoring the Rushden Lakes Retail and Leisure complex in Northamptonshire, set to open in 2017.
Nigel Oddy, chief executive of House of Fraser, said: “A physical store presence will allow us to serve a catchment area where House of Fraser has previously had a loyal customer base, as well as providing an opportunity to introduce our proposition to new customers.”
The new store, its first full scale bricks and mortar store since 2008, will include multichannel services such as buy and collect and order in store, designed to make brands and collections that may only be available in one or two cities, more accessible.
Oddy said: “Renowned for our wide range of brands, including our exclusive private label brands such as Linea and Biba, we will now look forward to creating a premium shopping experience for our customers to enjoy when the complex opens in 2017.”
Tim Walton, chief executive at LXB, which is developing Rushden Lakes, said: “Rushden Lakes will be a new generation of shopping parks with strong retail and leisure mix, making it an attractive proposition for House of Fraser and other quality retailers.”