John Lewis unveils first-ever Gifting Emporium at refurbished Bluewater store

John Lewis has today launched a "first-of-its-kind" 6,996 sq ft Gifting Emporium at its Bluewater store, featuring 1,800 new products and 14 new brands.

It comes as John Lewis also unveils a brand new Home department at the store – introducing a new ‘shop by style’ concept - following a £10 million investment.

The huge overhaul and adding of the Gifting Emporium, which spans an area of roughly the size of three tennis courts, comes in response to customer demand. Visits to John Lewis’s online gifting hub are up 15% compared to this time last year.

Bluewater is the first store to feature the new flagship concepts, which are set to be rolled out to more John Lewis stores.

In what is the biggest refurbishment of a John Lewis in four years, beyond the year-round new Gifting and Home concepts, the refurbishment includes a reimagined Beauty Hall with new premium brands like Fenty, Byredo, and Medik8, along with expanded men’s and women’s fashion departments and a new Waterstones shop-in-shop.

Jason Wilary-Attew, Director of Home at John Lewis, said: “From weddings, new babies, and thoughtful ‘thankyous’, John Lewis has long been the home of year-round gifting. This year we are turbo charging that with the launch of our first Gifting Emporium.

“I'm equally thrilled to unveil the biggest transformation we've ever made to the Home department. Our new lifestyle-led concept, built around five distinct styles (‘Heritage’, ‘Modern Lux’, ‘Scandi’, ‘Rustic’ and ‘Timeless’), is designed to inspire customers and make it easier than ever to create a look they love.

“Bluewater is the perfect destination to touch, see and feel both of these incredible new experiences first-hand and we look forward to introducing them to more of our stores in the future.”

New additions available at the Gifting Emporium at Bluewater and at the John Lewis online gifting hub, include 28 products from Ralph Lauren’s home fragrance and gifting ranges, and a curated collection of 40 products from The Conran Shop, including textiles, lighting, furniture and tableware.

There’s also portable turntables from Crosley and, under the umbrella of IND!E – a company that supports small, independent businesses by providing them with retail opportunities, there are 57 products across five brands: Glorious Mud, Queen Mee, Paul Marshall Johnson, Bokitta, and electric motorbike maker, Cooler King.

The Bluewater store overhaul is part of the retailer’s £800 million multi-year investment project, “reinforcing John Lewis's commitment to providing customers with unparalleled shopping experiences”.