21.06.07
Peacocks Loves Cardiff
Peacocks, the UK’s hottest value fashion retailer, is increasing its fashion credentials today, and proving it is a major contender on the high street as it opens its latest ‘store of the future’ in Cardiff. With its head office on Tyndall Street, Peacocks considers Cardiff to be its home, and that’s why they have chosen the city as the place to launch one of its next generation stores. The retailer already employs over 1000 colleagues from in and around the city, and the new store will create 40 new jobs as well as bringing Peacocks’ best ever summer high fashion ranges for women, men and children.
Hoards of shoppers queued outside the new store, some from 11pm last night all hoping to be one of the first 100 inside who received a £50 voucher towards their shopping spree. Robert Peacock and Store Manager Sadie Bigham officially opened the new generation store and kicked off the opening celebrations with a carnival of activity, live Brazilian music and members of the National Theatre Company to get waiting shoppers in the party spirit.
Following successful launches of the new look, boutique-style stores in Manchester and Southampton in May, Cardiff is the first of a new wave of ‘stores of the future’ to be opened in 2007, and will be followed by Doncaster and Leicester later this year. Quirky oversized chandeliers, antique wardrobes and trunks, and gallery style graphics give the new generation store an artisan feel, which contrasts with the crisp white walls, modern lighting, high ceilings, and brushed metal and chrome fixtures; all of which makes the 8,000 square foot space more contemporary than existing stores.
As part of its ambitious £21.5m growth programme announced earlier this year, Peacocks is committed to improving the directional fashion mix and refocusing its credentials in key city centres. Queen Street is a prime retail location in Cardiff, with a high mix of fashion retailers and strong footfall, and is seen as the perfect location to launch the new store, which emphasises the fashionability of Peacocks and the massive change in the brand that’s taken place over the last year.
New fixtures including chrome scaffolding will be used in the men’s area, with rugged brick walls, car tyres, grey pearlised mannequins, rope and metal hooks; making a truly masculine area within the store. Women’s wear retains its strong presence as you enter the store, with part walls wearing customized, distressed wallpaper, hanging chairs for high level displays and extravagant cream antique wardrobes. The final element will be earthy green pearlised mannequins displaying the latest high fashion looks, while children’s wear will appear in a scaffold tower supported by strong graphics taking elements from both the men’s and ladies’ displays. The whole store is easy to navigate; with women's, men's, children's and footwear having their own clear identity.
Tim Bettley, Peacocks’ managing director said; “We are so proud
of what we do at Peacocks, and it’s important to be able to see the
final results in a store on our doorstep. We’re really excited about
our new concept stores, and it seems right that we should have one in our
home town. Welsh shoppers want the hottest fashion must-haves at the best
prices on the high street, and that’s exactly what they’ll get
at our new Queen Street store.”