John Lewis Partnership is introducing a sexed-up version of dual-format Waitrose Food & Home, complete with coffee shop, dads' creche and must-have items such as iPods.
The layout will be unveiled at the former Safeway store in Rushden, Northamptonshire, which is being converted. The food hall is already open, but the 12,000-line home section does not open until October 14.
'We have tried to integrate the offer more and make it more seamless, with products grouped together consistently throughout the shop,' said a Waitrose spokesman. 'It will feel and look different.'
In the 56,000 sq ft (5,200 sq m) store, categories such as nursery and toys will be grouped together and the cook shop will lead into fresh food and grocery. Waitrose wants to 'surprise' shoppers with unexpected items such as iPods and is keen to increase cross-branding by bolstering its offer with John Lewis bestsellers.
JLP has overhauled 14 of the 19 stores it bought from Morrisons following the Safeway deal and expects to complete the process by November.
Reporting interims last week, chairman Sir Stuart Hampson said the new Waitrose shops were trading 'strongly' and the grocer had made an outstanding start to the year. Sales climbed 6.4 per cent to£1.4 billion, with like-for-likes up 3.7 per cent.
John Lewis also performed strongly, with sales up 4.6 per cent to£1.1 billion. Trading profit before pensions surged 22 per cent to£116 million.
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