Basingstoke sees launch of combined John Lewis ‘at home’ and Waitrose store
The new co-located John Lewis ‘at home’ and Waitrose Basingstoke shops have opened their doors to customers for the first time this week.
The 46,000 square foot John Lewis is the retailer’s 12th ‘at home’ shop and the combined store is the largest co-located John Lewis and Waitrose to date.
The John Lewis shop is home to one of the retailer’s first Home Hubs, a dedicated area bringing together all of John Lewis’s home design services and showcasing the retailer’s home interior products through a display of room sets. Customers can choose from an edited selection of 16,000 products across furniture, furnishing accessories, homeware, technology and nursery departments in-store, and use iPad terminals to shop the retailer’s full assortment online.
The 26,000 square foot Waitrose store will be the fifth branch in the country to include a wine bar. Offering over 20,000 lines, Waitrose Basingstoke will also include a rotisserie and cafe and will be the eighth store in the UK to include a juice bar.
A ribbon was cut by the first Partner to be employed by each branch: Olivia Jermy, stock management Partner at John Lewis at home, and Gina Benson, supermarket assistant at Waitrose. The Partners were joined by John Lewis branch manager, Ali Gilbert, and Waitrose branch manager, Jamie Rodgers, as well as representatives from local organisations that both shops are supporting as part of its charitable Community Matters scheme. These include Ark Cancer, Charity Spotlight UK and Basingstoke NeighbourCare. The first customer purchased an Orla Kiely Sugar Bowl from John Lewis at 9:05am.
The two shops will share office space, a dining room and locker rooms and ‘at home’ customers will have the benefit of Waitrose’s catering facilities.
