All articles by John Ryan – Page 86
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Opinion
So what is a great retail brand?
Today sees the publication of a survey that purports to reveal “The Best Retail Brands”. Assembled by branding consultancy Interbrand, the top five European players, perhaps unsurprisingly, are H&M, Carrefour, Ikea, Tesco and Zara, in that order.
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Gallery
Store of the week: Undiz, Paris
Remember Etam? As a retail brand it was around for years before Arcadia took the UK chain off its French parent’s hands in 2005. Since then it has vanished from UK high streets, but is alive and kicking in France and Undiz is a spin-off fascia that the company has ...
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Opinion
Pardon the stores phrase
Quantitative easing, the credit crunch, Ponzi schemes. If nothing else, the current global sticky patch has given all of us access to new ways of saying some pretty simple things - they just have the perceived benefit of making us sound as if we know what we're talking about.
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Gallery
Store of the week: Ecco Cologne, Germany
Shoe shops tend not to be the sort of places that most people linger in, for no better reason than that when you’ve bought a pair of shoes it’s a case of job done and head for the exit. This, along with surplus space, may be the reason why the ...
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AnalysisStore design: a little goes a very long way
Retailers are faced with some tough choices at the moment and retail design may well be low down on their list of priorities. But can they afford to do without it? John Ryan and Laura Lupton report
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Opinion
Without Principles
Last week another store chain hit the outer circle of hell known as administration. This time it was Principles and the news is that the stores are to go, but Debenhams will mop up the stock, keeping the brand alive in its branches - for the time being, at least.
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Gallery
Store of the week: Recipease, Battersea, London
It may seem, from time to time, that Sainsbury’s front man, school dinner saviour and Volkswagen campervan driver Jamie Oliver is in almost every place you might care to think of, but the opening of his foodie shop Recipease last week added to this extensive list.
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AnalysisWhite Stuff: Personal touch
How do you stop a store chain looking like a chain? Fashion retailer White Stuff’s quirky visual merchandising shows how flair can create unique shops. John Ryan visits its new branch in York
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Opinion
Don't let the recession overshadow store design priorities
Taking the temperature of the retail design market recently, it was interesting to learn that Selfridges might be looking at its cost base - which retailer isn't? - but is also investing in new areas at its London flagship and at its Manchester branch.
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News
House of Fraser mulls fate of old Beatties stores
House of Fraser is understood to be considering options, including disposals, for the Beatties stores it acquired in 2005.
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NewsFortnum & Mason to sell from European department stores
Fortnum Mason is poised to launch its food products in top European department stores as it seeks avenues for its merchandise and takes advantage of sterling’s weakness against the euro.
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Gallery
Store of the week: Hamleys, Dubai
How portable is a retail brand and when is it so linked to a particular location that it’s hard to see it working anywhere else?
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AnalysisFeast for the eyes: John Lewis food halls
Opening a food hall at its Oxford Street store was a gamble for John Lewis but the move paid off. Now Bluewater is due to have a version installed that will move the format on. John Ryan reports
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News
Marks & Spencer staff in Ireland win up to 6.7 per cent pay rise
Marks & Spencer staff in the Republic of Ireland are to receive pay rises of up to 6.7 per cent according to the Irish Times.
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Analysis
John Lewis food halls: a new vintage at Bluewater
John Ryan visits the food hall at John Lewis's Oxford Street store to see its new wine bar and then travels to Bluewater to learn about plans for the second iteration of the format from John Lewis head of retail design Kim Morris.
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Opinion
Finding store design inspiration in the most unusual places
It's high time retailers looked beyond their competitors for store design inspiration and spread the net further afield. There are new tricks to be learnt and ideas to take on board, if only retailers will look around.
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Gallery
Store of the week: Joules, Cheltenham
We’re all familiar with stores that offer shoppers a particular view. Normally carrying the lifestyle tag, these are shops that invite their customers to be part of a club that will be readily recognised by those who are members and, equally, those who are not but might like to be.
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Analysis
Sainsbury’s: Tomorrow’s store today
Sainsbury’s revamped Hayes branch in west London shows that a store of the future can be just that. John Ryan visits
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AnalysisB&Q: Orange is the new green
New Malden is home to B&Q’s greenest store. John Ryan visits and tests out its eco-boasts
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Analysis
B&Q opens 'greenest' store in New Malden
B&Q has opened what it terms its “greenest” store. As well as packing a host of eco-features, the store in the south London suburb of New Malden boasts what the retailer claims is the UK’s largest single selling floor – 117,000 sq ft.