John Lewis opens members' lounge as part of £800m store revamp plan
John Lewis is introducing a new premium members' lounge experience for its most loyal customers, as the department store group continues its mission to re-energise its physical retail estate.
Launching on Tuesday at the retailer’s Oxford Street flagship, the John Lewis Lounge will be open exclusively to members of its My John Lewis loyalty programme. The trial, running until Christmas, offers a taste of luxury for returning shoppers - from complimentary sparkling wine, coffee and Waitrose chocolates to hand and arm massages.
Members can book slots in advance or drop in if space allows, with room for up to 30 customers each hour and the option to bring two guests.
Rosie Hanley, Brand Director at John Lewis, described the concept to The Times as "about rewarding loyalty with a premium experience".
"This trial is a perfect example of our wider strategy: investing in our stores to offer unique, service-led experiences that our customers can’t get anywhere else," Hanley added.
The move comes as The John Lewis Partnership, which owns John Lewis and Waitrose, seeks to reignite excitement around its department stores following years of losing ground to competitors like Marks & Spencer. In 2024, under Executive Director Peter Ruis, John Lewis revealed it was injecting around £800 million into its store estate over four years, with more than £250 million earmarked for the next two as part of a significant refresh across beauty halls, home and tech departments and flagship sites.
At the time, Ruis said: "The buzz is back in John Lewis and we’re giving our customers even more reasons to shop in our brilliant stores."
The trial also coincides with a sharp rise in customer engagement. The My John Lewis loyalty scheme has grown 13% over the past year, now boasting 3.8 million members. The partnership also has a separate My Waitrose loyalty scheme, but it previously signalled it would launch a joint loyalty card valid across both John Lewis and Waitrose.
The retail giant has been ambitious in driving higher profits this year despite ongoing cost pressures. In September, it posted a £88 million loss for the past half-year after being hit by increases to national insurance contributions and packaging taxes. However, the employee-owned group said it is still "well positioned" to deliver profit growth for the full year, with the Christmas trading period expected to boost profits.
