John Lewis unveils £800m investment as it vows ‘shops are here to stay’

The retailer’s six-storey Oxford Street flagship and stores in High Wycombe and Cheadle are the first to have renovated, larger beauty halls.

It forms part of an £800m investment over the next four years as it looks to improve its customer experience and bolster its store features.

Executive director Peter Ruis said around half of the injection will be going into stores.

“We certainly want to invest more in stores. Since the pandemic, we have been reassured of the bricks and clicks [business model]," he said.

"It’s clear that shops are here to stay.”

He added that £126m has been spent in store transformation this year, with £136m next year. Other investment included mobile payment and ship-from-store technology.

On the ground floor of the Oxford Street store, customers are met with make-up zones to the left from established brands including MAC and Charlotte Tilbury, and emerging brands to the right, such as American Gen Z label Sol de Janeiro, with a bright yellow display. The retailer will review the brand mix in the emerging section every six months.

Helen Spencer, head of beauty at John Lewis, said the retailer has managed to “reinvent the beauty hall for the modern age without stopping trade”.

With 41 beauty counters, a 24% increase in footprint, a 15% increase in brands to a total of 175, the retailer aims to draw customers in with more up-and-coming labels, as well as a range of services such as facial appointments and haircare treatments. Spencer added that around 38% of John Lewis’s beauty revenue comes from online, with many people shopping across both channels.

“We know the customers are there and love what we do for beauty,” she said.

Walking further into the space, customers are greeted by skincare staples, including Clarins and Elemis, before reaching a refreshed walk-in Blink Brow Bar with treatment rooms in the back.

In the premium area is the first physical space of diagnostic skincare brand Skin + Me.

Across beauty and personal care, the retailer’s fast-growing category is haircare with 57% sales uplift year on year, followed by skincare and make-up.

In the fragrance hall, the revamped space includes counters to all premium brands, with open fixtures on the rest of the floor. In the corner is the pop-up with luxury reseller Sign of the Times, featuring pre-loved designer bags and accessories from brands including Chanel, Gucci and Loewe.

In its home section on the second floor, the retailer has brought in new brands including Made.com, which marked the Next-owned homeware brand’s first physical presence in London. It has also improved the space for existing brands with room sets and better navigation.

Today (24 October), the retailer has also unveiled a partnership with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to bring his Cookery School and Cafe to John Lewis Oxford Street in spring 2025.

The upgrade follows the recent openings of a new Waterstones bookshop two weeks ago and a new rooftop restaurant and bar earlier this year.

John Lewis said the Oxford Street store will be “a test bed for transformative improvements and changes” which will then roll out to the wider store portfolio.

Ruis concluded: "The buzz is back in John Lewis and we're giving our customers even more reasons to shop in our brilliant stores."

"We're backing ourselves with significant investment to ensure customers get the exceptional quality, outstanding service, and competitive prices they love about our unique brand."