Department store John Lewis has announced that Lisa Williams will become head of branch at its regional flagship department store in Birmingham and that the shop will open alongside the rest of the Grand Central development in September 2015.
John Lewis has reportedly invested £35 million in the 250,000 sq ft department store, which will be one of the largest outside London.
Lisa has been head of branch at John Lewis High Wycombe for the past three years and in the last 18 months oversaw the retailer’s largest redevelopment investment of 2013 when the shop received a £16million pound refurbishment programme. The upgrade created 200 new jobs within the Partnership and has led to sales growth of 27% at the shop, according to the retailer.
The new development will sit directly above Birmingham New Street station, and, John Lewis says, ‘as part of Grand Central will provide a quality retail offer right at the heart of the city’.
John Lewis managing director Andy Street said: “Our aspiration is for John Lewis Birmingham to become the cornerstone of wider regeneration in the south side of the city centre and to deliver a legacy of real quality and value to the area. We are also very pleased to confirm an opening date, and look forward to presenting our new regional flagship department store to the shopping public of Birmingham.”
Lisa Williams added: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking on this new challenge in the UK’s second largest city. I look forward to establishing our regional flagship shop in the centre of Birmingham and in the heart of the local community.”
