Debenhams unveils new kind of department store for Australia
- Written by: Katie Quirk
Iconic British retailer Debenhams has taken a deliberate shift away from the traditional department store format in Australia, for the opening of its first store at the St Collins Lane retail precinct in Melbourne.
Debenhams St Collins Lane will offer exclusive and affordable brands, exceptional service and an intimate, curated experience for today’s contemporary customer.
Mr Graham Dean, Managing Director of Debenhams Australia, said the store’s small-format layout – across two storeys and 3600sqm – was a new concept specifically developed for the Australian market and drew on more than two centuries of experience and constant innovation by the retail brand.
“Debenhams St Collins Lane is not a traditional department store – it is a new destination for the contemporary customer in Australia,” Mr Dean said.
“Our research shows that a Debenhams customer wants to not only enjoy the latest seasonal trends, but find the right item at the right time, and always have our store at their fingertips.
“They are also frustrated by traditional department stores with limited assistance on the floor, confusing layouts and unnecessary waiting times.
“We will complement world-class service and in-store services such as a style suite, beauty rooms, mobile POS and a café, with a new Debenhams Australia mobile app that will provide a better experience and ensure we are always there, where-ever and whenever our customers need us.”
Debenhams St Collins Lane will join a portfolio of 243 Debenhams stores across 28 countries worldwide, and supports the retailer’s Debenhams Redesigned global strategy launched in early 2017 to drive the business forward.
The store will anchor the new St Collins Lane retail precinct, in a popular area of the Melbourne CBD considered by many to be the city’s traditional home of fashion and beauty.
“The opening of Debenhams St Collins Lane is an evolution of our success with the Australian market, with online sales to Australia already the largest outside of the United Kingdom,” Mr Dean said.
“There are more than 840,000 people in the Melbourne CBD every day and more than 2.2 million international visitors to the city each year, many of whom would have already been a customer in one of our Debenhams stores around the world.
“We have a track record of getting retail right, and we are confident in this new offering for Australia.”
Debenhams St Collins Lane opens at 10am on Tuesday 24th October and store trading will be in line with CBD trading hours.
