Coal Drops Yard confirms opening date and adds new brands

Coal Drops Yard, the new Heatherwick Studio-designed retail and lifestyle district at London’s King’s Cross, has confirmed it will open to the public on October 26 and has announced a further four brands who will join the line-up.

The new shopping district set within the historic buildings and arches directly adjacent to Granary Square and Regent’s Canal will be home to more than 50 stores, restaurants and cafés and will include new retail presences from footwear designer Tracey Neuls, activewear store The Sports Edit, independent concept store S120 and eatery, Morty and Bob’s.

They will sit alongside fashion names including Paul Smith, Cubitts, Lost Property of London, Beija London, Emin and Paul, Cheaney and Tom Dixon, which have all confirmed to take space at Coal Drops Yard, which aims to have a focus on independent, craft and niche brands.

Coal Drops Yard states that no space is the same, with stores and restaurants located in canal-side arches fronting onto cobbled courtyards, within the original ‘coal drops’ and across a series of raised iron viaducts. Larger statement stores sit at each street corner, with one dual-aspect space crowning the street, located directly beneath Heatherwick Studio’s striking ‘kissing’ rooftops.

While Lower Stable Street, a sunken street between Coal Drops Yard and Stable Street, will also open this October, offering spaces for a range of smaller pop-up and experimental stores, complementing and offering a different aspect to the Coal Drops Yard experience.

Anna Strongman, Coal Drops Yard development manager and partner at Argent, said in a press release: “Coal Drops Yard is an amazing achievement, a bold vision delivered by a dedicated team with a diverse set of skills. This diversity will be mirrored in those who visit – Coal Drops Yard will have something for everyone, and will always offer a reason to return.

“It is an extremely complex project, one that successfully unites the area’s heritage with Heatherwick Studio’s progressive architecture, creating stimulating spaces for both the brands and the people that will bring these buildings back to life. Coal Drops Yard will be a vital part of the King’s Cross experience, and we thoroughly look forward to welcoming the public to discover it this October.”

Tracey Neuls, Studio One Twenty, Morty and Bob’s and The Sports Edit join Coal Drops Yard line-up ahead of October 26 public opening

With no space being the same it means that brands can fully personalise their store, with footwear and accessory designer Tracey Neuls, known for her stores curated as galleries, stating that she will create a store heavily inspired by Coal Drops Yard’s history and will include hanging shoe displays. In addition, Neuls will launch a specially designed ‘Bagley’s’ shoe in honour of the iconic London nightclub of the same name, previously located on the site.

“With so much sameness in the world, we enjoy offering a different viewpoint from shoes to shop,” said Neuls. “Coals Drop Yard’s history and mix of old and new was very appealing and a natural match for us. We are always challenging the norm and will continue exploring the different feelings that a retail space can evoke, developing a unique and inspirational venue in keeping with our personality.”

Another new addition will be The Sports Edit, Europe’s leading destination for fashion-forward activewear, which will offer a curated selection of innovative sportswear from across the world, as well as seasonal events and fitness workshops for the local community.

The Sports Edit founder Nick Paulson-Ellis, added: “Coal Drops Yard goes one step further to place Kings Cross as the ultimate London destination to visit and enjoy, and we can’t wait to be part of this exceptional development.”

The final fashion name announced to be joining the line-up is independent concept store S120, which will be expanding from its Islington base to open a second, larger location, housing an eclectic mix of brands spanning fashion, accessories and homeware.

Designer and founder of Heatherwick Studio, Thomas Heatherwick said of the project: “My studio has been based in King’s Cross for over 17 years, so it’s been an enormous privilege to reinvent such a locally significant site. These extraordinary buildings were first built in 1850 and have lived an unusually rich past, first serving as infrastructure, then warehousing and offices. To most people, they are famous for having hosted nightclubs for over a decade. We believed there was an opportunity to celebrate the heritage of the existing structures rather than destroy them.

“As the opening approaches, we’re all looking forward to seeing how Coal Drops Yard can not only serve as an unusual place for shopping and eating but also become a destination in its own right; a special new space that the public can make their own.”

Coal Drops Yard will open to the public on October 26.

Images: courtesy of Coal Drops Yard