As a new retail tenant – Hollister Co – opens its doors at Liverpool ONE the complex is facing the closure of another store 12,000 sq ft that was open little more than a year. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool ONE is experiencing the ups and downs of the volatile retail sector in the space of a few days – with one store opening up and another set to close down.
Hollister Co, the global teen retailer division of Abercrombie & Fitch Co, has officially opened at South John Street in Liverpool ONE, occupying 7,300 sq ft. However, The Vintage Store, which opened in May 2022, announced it was closing down its outlet.
Occupying 12,000 sq ft of the former Topshop outlet, The Vintage Store offered a collection of “affordable vintage clothing”, including popular sportswear retailers Adidas, Nike and Champion, as well as Ralph Lauren and Burberry.
In a statement on its Instagram feed, it said: “Liverpool. We have a sad announcement to make. Our Liverpool ONE store is closing down. We’ve disrupted the high street too much and we’ve gotta go.”
But the brand, which also has stores in Sheffield, Hull, York, Newcastle and Birmingham, hinted that it may not leave Liverpool altogether. It added: “Don’t worry, we have a plan up our sleeve.”
It is fair to say Liverpool ONE has seen more new openings than closures over the last 12 months. However, this latest news shows the uncertain nature of retail with the ongoing tension between bricks and mortar and online.
The days when a retail brand would sit in the same location for years and decades are now behind us as companies look to react quickly to ever-changing shopping trends.
When Topshop closed its doors across the UK, and ceased to be a high street name, back in 2021 it sent shockwaves across the sector. Debenhams also suffered the same fate that year and both were major tenants at Liverpool ONE.
Grosvenor, owner of the £1bn complex, has been nimble enough to react quickly to these changes. Debenhams has now been repurposed to house Gravity, a £10m leisure venue, and the soon-to-be opened Marks & Spencer store which is moving from Church Street.
The loss of The Vintage Store after such a short time will be a blow. It sits in a very prominent location facing onto Church Street. Grosvenor will not want to leave it open for too long.
In the past month nearby Peter’s Lane has seen more new openings. Global activewear and lifestyle brand, Sweaty Betty, and worldwide retailer for luxury cosmetics Space NK, have both launched at the location.
Hollister Co’s new store sits alongside sister brand Gilly Hicks, giving the brand an expanded footprint and first dedicated storefront at Liverpool ONE.
Both stores provide a “seamless omnichannel experience” with a central click-and-collect area in addition to offering order-in-store and same-day delivery capabilities.
Jonathan Steinitz, managing director EMEA, said: “We are committed to reaching our Hollister and Gilly Hicks customers globally, and Liverpool ONE is the perfect strategic location for us to engage with both current and new shoppers.
“The Hollister brand is well established among the destination’s visitors, so we are delighted to introduce them to our new store concept and offer a more distinct Gilly Hicks brand experience within the space.”
Rob Deacon, senior asset manager at Grosvenor, said the Hollister launch is “a major endorsement” for Liverpool ONE.
He added: “Hollister’s substantial investment and exciting introduction of the Gilly Hicks brand is a key moment for us, particularly as it evidences yet more commitment to Liverpool ONE from global brands.”
LBN has asked Liverpool ONE for a comment on the closure of The Vintage Store and whether any new tenants are being lined up for the unit.