Waterstones has announced a comeback to Oxford Street by partnering with John Lewis for a new bookshop.
- The shop-in-shop will open on October 8, 2024, on the second floor of John Lewis, adjacent to its café.
- This new location will house nearly 20,000 books across various genres including non-fiction, fiction, and children’s literature.
- Waterstones had previously closed its Oxford Street stores, the last shuttering in 2016.
- The partnership aims to enhance the customer experience with expert bookseller guidance and author signings.
In a strategic move, Waterstones is set to re-establish its presence on Oxford Street through a partnership with the reputable department store, John Lewis. The collaboration will see a new bookshop opening as a shop-in-shop concept on October 8, 2024. Positioned on the second floor of the John Lewis flagship, the bookshop will be conveniently located next to the store’s café, offering a seamless browsing experience for customers.
The bookshop will boast an impressive inventory of nearly 20,000 books. It will cater to a wide array of reading preferences by stocking a diverse range of genres including non-fiction, fiction, and children’s literature. This new venture follows Waterstones’ previous closure of all its Oxford Street stores, with the final one ceasing operations in 2016.
Kate Skipper, Waterstones’ Chief Operating Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the venture: ‘We are thrilled to be working with John Lewis on this exciting new partnership and delighted to be returning to Oxford Street this Autumn.’ She highlighted that the bookshop will serve as a hub for author signings and will provide ‘expert customer guidance’ as a core part of the offering.
John Lewis’s Director of Services and Hospitality, Katie Papakonstantinou, remarked on the alignment of values and customer focus between the two brands. She noted the initiative as part of John Lewis’s broader strategy to enhance the customer experience. With increasing footfall, John Lewis sees this collaboration as a vital investment in brand and customer relations.
Both brands aim to leverage the iconic location and their respective strengths to deliver an enriched shopping experience. Waterstones’ expert booksellers will be on hand to guide customers, and planned author signings are expected to draw book enthusiasts, further cementing the bookshop as a cultural hub within the bustling Oxford Street area.
This collaboration marks a significant return for Waterstones to Oxford Street, reflecting a shared commitment with John Lewis to enhance the retail experience.
