Global fashion brand Zara to significantly expand its footprint at Liverpool ONE by opening a new 42,000 sq ft store. Tony McDonough reports
Global fashion brand Zara is to expand the size of its Liverpool ONE store for the second time.
Currently, the Spanish retailer occupies 27,200 sq ft on both the upper and lower tiers of South John Street. It originally traded out of an 18,000 sq ft space until it expanded in 2014.
Now, a decade on, Inditex-owned Zara will expand and open a new 42,000 sq ft store at the same site. This will allow for an increased offer of the brand’s menswear, womenswear, and kidswear ranges.
The new space will also feature Zara’s innovative technologies such as self-service areas and online collection points to offer customers a “seamless shopping experience”.
Rob Deacon, director of asset management at Liverpool ONE operator Grosvenor, said: “Zara choosing to increase their investment in Liverpool ONE is a testament to the location’s reputation as a destination for flagships.
“As one of Liverpool ONE’s leading retailers, we have no doubt that the upsized anchor store will only serve to strengthen Zara’s sustained demand and loyal customer base in Liverpool.”
Zara’s upsizing joins the growing list of leading brands that have chosen to further invest in Liverpool ONE, including international brands BOSS, Hollister, and Goldsmiths.
The expansion of Zara increases the total trading footprint of Inditex-owned brands within the scheme to 68,000 sq ft following the openings of Bershka and Stradivarius, and the upsize of Pull&Bear.
Despite a tough retail environment and increasing pressure from ecommerce, Liverpool ONE has continued to see healthy rises in footfall and steady flow of new tenants, upgrades and pop-up shops.
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In an interview with LBN in February, estate director Iain Finlayson said Grosvenor was now undertaking structural work on the former Topshop building which fronts onto Church Street and is confident new tenants will be found for the site.
“There is a tenant that is lined up for part of the space and there may be three or four other tenants in smaller units, because it is a big building. I don’t think we will have a problem filling those smaller units,” he added.