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Beyond Retro to open “long-term” pop-up shop in Morleys in Brixton

Tom Bottomley
01 April 2021

Vintage clothing retailer Beyond Retro is to open a new 1,700 sq ft “long-term” pop-up shop inside Morleys in Brixton, when non-essential stores can reopen on 12 April, 2021, as part of a “major redevelopment” of the department store.

With five stores in the UK, in Soho, Brick Lane, Dalston, Brighton and Bristol, this will be the first time Beyond Retro has had a retail presence in South London. The retailer also has five stores in Sweden.

Kate Peters, Managing Director at Beyond Retro, said: “We’ve been hunting for the perfect shop in South London for years, and with our hugely successful garage sales in Peckham, we knew we needed to find a long-term base in the area. Brixton is the most wonderfully creative area, and we’re proud to be welcomed into such a prominent, popular destination store.

“The face of the high street has been undergoing huge change in the last year, and though it's been a tough time for independent retail, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to be opening doors in 2021. We believe it's more important than ever to offer sustainable clothing for an ever-growing market of conscious consumers. With demand for vintage on the rise, being able to bring the Beyond Retro experience to a historical retail institution like Morleys hopefully signals more support for independent retailers in the challenging times ahead.”

The new Beyond Retro space in Morleys will offer a huge range of one-off pieces, with everything from key wardrobe staples to statement pieces, including vintage sportswear, dresses and jeans from every era, with brands such as Levi’s, adidas, Nike and Dr. Martens. There will be thousands of items in the new space at any one time, with styles and prices to suit every taste and budget.

Top picks for the season ahead include core staples such as Hawaiian shirts, chinos and shorts, and on trend pieces including "cottage core" inspired 70’s prairie dresses – long, floral, with ruffles and delicate details, as well as corsets, tie dye T-shirts, waistcoats, sweater vests, embroidery and summer party dresses.

Daren Gittins, Fashion and Beauty Buying Director for Morleys Stores Group, commented: “After undertaking an extensive project to identify Morleys Brixton’s core customer, we understand there has been a need to realign our brand offering and store experience to appeal to a more contemporary shopper.

“We are delighted to be introducing Beyond Retro to the ground floor of our Brixton store, and particularly excited to be revealing newness as we reopen our doors in April. This is the first step of a major store redevelopment to modernise the group’s founding department store and meet the needs of Brixton’s evolving customer.”

While Beyond Retro’s UK stores have all been closed during the various lockdowns of the past year, online sales have been up 75%, though Peters admitted: “It was fantastic to see so many more customers migrate online to shop vintage, but that did not cover what the business made across the board pre-pandemic.”

Looking to the future when Beyond Retro can reopen all its physical stores, Peters added: “We do feel that there will be a bounce back, and though we aren't sure if it will hit pre-pandemic levels anytime soon, we know customers are keen to experience shopping in real life, especially to support independent, local or sustainable businesses.

“However, it's hugely dependent on location. The less centralised stores will most likely have great local footfall, and out of London stores will get an influx of domestic tourists that can help boost sales, but the more centralised stores might suffer for a while due to less international tourism and the amount of offices closed. We are excited for the Brixton space as we'll be within such a thriving community, and it gives us a chance to reach vintage lovers and conscious shoppers in South London more easily.”

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