Local shoppers have been flocking to the new John Lewis York shop since it opened its doors on Thursday 10th April, with over 20,000 items sold in the first three days. As the first John Lewis shop to open nationally this year and the first ever for the North Yorkshire region, customers were eager to discover the wide range of products on offer.
Beauty and fashion products proved particularly popular with ladies of York. In fact, if all the Liz Earle products sold in the first weekend of trading were stacked on top of each other they would be as tall as York Minster. Other top beauty performers were Bobbi Brown, Clarins and Estée Lauder. Mint Velvet was the number one selling womenswear brand, closely followed by Jigsaw, Phase Eight, Whistles and White Stuff.
Preparing for the Easter break was found to be a priority for shoppers, with Easter gift food equating to almost half of all gift food sales for the opening weekend. The Hotel Chocolat Cocoa BarCafé performed well, with shoppers buying premium chocolate gifts and also enjoying the new in-store dining experience.
First weekend trading sales have also shown that a key focus for local customers was to update their homes with decorations or design services. Linens and bath accessories saw strong sales, and the Home Design service was popular in-store, with a number of home visits confirmed and several in-store consultations completed.
Robert Garnish, branch manager, John Lewis York said: The atmosphere in the shop has been amazing and we couldn’t have asked for a better reception from local shoppers. On behalf of all the Partners, I’d like to thank every customer that has come through our doors so far, especially the 150 or so who queued up before opening!
“I’d also like to thank our hardworking team, who has gone above and beyond to give our customers the best experience in-store. I’m glad that we’re able to bring John Lewis’s broad range of products closer to home for residents in York and North Yorkshire, and that our Partners can provide trusted advice and product knowledge to local shoppers.”
Ruth Holmes from Earswick, York, was the first in the queue on opening day. Ruth said of being the first through the door:
“There has been a real buzz around town about the new John Lewis York, and it’s really exciting to be here for the opening today. I’m really looking forward to a new and different shopping experience being so close. In particular, my friends and I, who are all local teachers, are looking forward to coming down for an afternoon and unwinding with a coffee.
Interesting facts about first week of trading:
· Over 50 fits on Lingerie in the first 3 days
· One customer bought £500 worth of ladies’ shoes
· The first engagement ring was sold at £450
· 3330 teas and coffees were sold in the first 3 days
· 1500 items of bakery were sold in the first 3 days
· Two Apple iMacs were sold within the first 10 minutes of opening
· In Menswear Ted Baker, Barbour and Gant were in high demand
· In Childrenswear it was all about children’s shoe fits with it being Easter holidays but Lego has also been in demand
· In the Linens department towels and Egyptian cotton sheets were popular
· In china and kitchenware there were high sales of boxed glass, white china and premium gifts (silverware like Alessi and Robert Welch)
· In lighting and furniture, strong sales were seen on ceiling lights and phenomenal sales on beds, including made to order mattresses
· The new 150th Anniversary range proved popular with local shoppers – especially the Daisychain and Cummersdale designs
