The owner of Spanish fashion giant Zara is to transform its Metrocentre shop into a North East megastore.
Zara has exchanged contracts to significantly expand its existing Metrocentre Red Mall store, which will more than double in size once complete. The new flagship store is expected to open in late 2023, taking on a new and improved 42,000 square foot space which bosses say with further strengthen the shopping experience for its customers.
The upgraded space will feature an expanded product offering across all departments, including menswear, womenswear and kidswear. Work on the new store has already started. The large scale upsize is part of Sovereign Centros’ strategy to bring the biggest and best flagship stores to the Metrocentre, reinforcing its position as the dominant trading location in the North.
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Ben Cox of Sovereign Centros said: “An investment of this scale from one of the globe’s leading brands is a major demonstration of the strength of Metrocentre. Zara’s expansion over two levels completes the re-anchoring of Red Mall alongside the arrival of Flannels & Sports Direct into the former Debenhams. Given Zara’s current popularity with Metrocentre’s customers and the truly impressive quality of their most recent flagship openings, we’re certain the new store will be a huge success.
“As well as an extended space and product offering, the development of the Zara store will bring with it more job opportunities for the local community.”
Zara’s new store will add to Metrocentre’s portfolio of retail giants such as Flannels, JD Sports, H&M, Harrods Beauty, River Island and Next. The news comes after Frasers Group unveiled detailed plans for its Metrocentre superstore which will encompass all its major brands, a gym and an esports gaming zone.
The shopping empire owned by Mike Ashley signed a 15-year deal with the Metrocentre Partnership to take up the former Debenhams site, a 130,000-sqft unit in the Red Mall. It will occupy the former Debenhams unit across the ground, first and second floors with its Flannels, Sports Direct, Evans Cycles and Game retail brands.
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