John Lewis has introduced three new hospitality destinations to its stores as it gears up for the peak festive shopping season. The latest openings are in response to the continued demand from customers to combine shopping with wider experiences, including relaxing and refuelling in a cafe or restaurant. This trend is reflected in hospitality sales which are up almost 10% over the past year in John Lewis’ hospitality outlets.
A brand new circa 250sq ft Champagne Bar has opened in the atrium of Peter Jones, Sloane Square. Customers are invited to step into the sparkle of the season to discover a Christmas-themed Champagne experience. The pop-up festive bar has twenty stools around a central bar, additional small tables, and will be in situ until early January. The menu showcases iconic cuvées and delightful hidden gems. Available for walk-ins only, the bar is a beautiful luxury centrepiece within Peter Jones’ iconic atrium, and is open from midday through to shop close.
In a European first, Warabi-Mochi Kamakura, a premium Japanese brand specialising in matcha and warabi mochi, a traditional Japanese confection, has this weekend officially opened at John Lewis Oxford Street. With 49 stores across Japan, and 20 stores across 10 other countries, Warabi-Mochi Kamakura is set to attract the brand’s international fans as well as introducing UK shoppers to its delicious concept.
Taking 450sq ft at the entrance to the Waitrose Foodhall within John Lewis Oxford Street, Warabi-Mochi Kamakura is now serving their soft chewy warabi mochi – served as classic sweets with kinako (roasted soy bean), black sesame and matcha and as modern warabi mochi drinks in matcha, coffee and strawberry, available to enjoy at the cafe or to take away.
Building on its success in other stores, John Lewis Southampton has also welcomed a new Ori Caffe, bringing its authentic, Mediterranean style menu to the second floor of the store. This is the eleventh Ori Caffe across the John Lewis portfolio.
Offering fresh food, superb coffee & refreshing cocktails, Ori Caffe is the ideal place for a quick refresh or for a relaxing lunch with friends. The food menu has something to entice everyone, from freshly baked pastries, healthy salads, and artisan sandwiches to an extensive range of cakes and sweet treats. Quality is a key principle with all the breads and cakes being sourced from only the best artisan bakeries.
Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services & hospitality for John Lewis, said: “We’re continually looking for ways to enhance the John Lewis experience, and the addition of the Lanson Champagne Bar, Warabi-Mochi Kamakura, and our new Ori Caffe in Southampton is a direct response to our customers’ growing desire to combine shopping with unique and enjoyable experiences. We have also recently expanded the Benugo cafes in our Norwich and Leeds stores, and this year also added Ori Caffes in our Liverpool and Solihull stores, and expanded our Ori Caffe in Bluewater – this is a countrywide investment.
“Our growth in hospitality sales over the past year is a clear sign that this strategy is resonating, and these exciting new concepts are central to our commitment to making our stores a true destination – for the festive season and beyond.”
This investment in hospitality is a key component of the broader John Lewis store transformation plan which has just seen the John Lewis Bluewater complete a nearly £10m refurbishment, as well as investments into Beauty Halls across the Liverpool, Solihull, Welwyn, and Cambridge stores.
