Harvey Nichols Birmingham to double in size

Department store Harvey Nichols is transforming its Birmingham store, which will see the retailer more than double in size to over 45,000 square feet by 2015. The retailer said that the store will undergo an “exciting transformation”,

which will not only increase the retail space, but also allow departments such as menswear and personal shopping which are currently performing “beyond expectations” to increase in size.

As well as plans to increase in size, the retailer will also be relocating within Birmingham’s Mailbox shopping complex, moving into the former post-room space, at the heart of the shopping centre. A space, which was recently used to host a series of catwalk shows as part of the city’s style and shopping event, Style Birmingham Live.

The retail space will be over six metres in height and will be engineered to capitalise upon available daylight to allow for an “innovative and intelligent” store design. In addition to the increase menswear department, the store will also offer womenswear, beauty, accessories and food sections, and the retailer is considering incorporating a more sophisticated hospitality offer.

Joseph Wan, Group Chief Executive at Harvey Nichols, said: "We firmly believe our participation in this redevelopment will underline our commitment to Birmingham and its shoppers – it is a testimony to our success in the city as well as the success of the city itself.

“The new store will enable us to greatly expand for our customers the best of Fashion, Beauty, Accessories and Food and to continue bringing them the very best in luxury and service well into the future."

Harvey Nichols Birmingham to expand and relocate

Harvey Nichols expansion is part of the Mailbox’s wider redevelopment plans, which will also include an improved, pedestrian-friendly public space reaching from the underpass beneath Suffolk Street Queensway to the front of the development. There will also be structural changes to dramatically change the sense of space inside the building by putting a roof on the space, creating a fully enclosed Urban Room for fashion retailing.

Melanie Taylor, head of leasing at Milligan, development partner and joint owner of the Mailbox, said: “The original developers created a prestigious shopping and lifestyle destination. Our goal is to strengthen this vision and to see Mailbox realise its full potential, with the customers’ needs at its very heart.

“The city has a great sense of optimism and pride towards what is home to The BBC and the destination that originally brought Harvey Nichols to Birmingham back in 2001. Our future plans will see the environment of the building transformed whilst bringing a unique collection of brands to Birmingham.”

Harvey Nichols will remain open throughout the course of the Mailbox’s redevelopments and the new store will open in early 2015.

The retailer also has stores in London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Dublin, as well as internationally in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Dubai, Turkey, Kuwait, and will soon be opening in Azerbaijan.