Body Shop boss brings new look to Briggate store
BRITISH ethical beauty retailer, The Body Shop, which was founded in 1976 by the late Anita Roddick, has invested in Leeds for its first new concept store in the country.
The new look store includes a Body Butter Bar, make up area and ‘skin gym’.
Managing director of L’Oreal-owned The Body Shop, Simon Coble, speaks to TheBusinessDesk.com following the launch of the company’s new concept store on Briggate, a first for the UK.
Why choose Leeds to trial the new concept?
Too many retailers only focus on London and the south east for their flagship stores, yet to discover the fantastic opportunity that Leeds has to offer.
It has a wonderful diverse mix of stores, bars and restaurant, and together with the sophisticated Leeds customer the city brings a unique shopping experience which has a huge draw for a brand such as The Body Shop and an exciting investment to create a one-of-a-kind store.
What gives the region a different shopping experience for anything else?
Leeds is a compact city centre with a strong retail heritage, and has created an environment where independent and larger brands thrive alongside each other. This choice makes it a desirable shopping destination for not just the community of Leeds but those who live in surrounding areas, firmly securing it as the northern retail hub.
Do developments like Victoria Gate and Trinity make the city a more attractive destination to retailers?
Of course, but ultimately it’s the Leeds shopper that makes it such an attractive destination for retailers.
What makes the refurbished store different?
The Body Shop Leeds Briggate is a one-of-kind store, which has been designed with the Leeds customer in mind. This has allowed us to try new ideas and create a very different shopping experience to what you’ll find in any of our other stores across the country.
This is the only store to feature a VIP Beauty Workshop room where make-up application tutorials and skin consultation will be hosted, as well as mini pampering sessions for a small group of friends. We also have built a bespoke Body Butter Bar and incorporated a Pick ‘n’ Mix Beauty Bay. These unique elements together with our friendly and knowledgeable sales consultants deliver a fantastic beauty-browsing shopping experience.
The store will also work closely with local charity groups and artists to communicate key global campaigns and enrich locality networks, to both support the local community of Leeds but also drive awareness of global issues. With the prevalence of online retail, customers are looking for a point of difference when shopping on the high street and that’s what we aim to achieve.
