CardiffWalesMap

Yes, Greggs Queen St opened today - Toys R Us open Monday. Quite decent signage for a pop up.

Frank wrote:I don't usually get too involved with retail but I was wondering if the Old Library might ever be able to attract a high end retailer. Perhaps Hamley's would be a bit too childish. You have the Cardiff Story there now and a tourist information centre and usually some bar or other. I think more might be made of it.

It's home to the local Welsh language centre, I think.

Artist's impression of new Dominions House units

Looks good, but does Queen St really need TWO signage shops, so close together?

Not stritly Cardiff but this curious video popped up on my Facebook from one of our old friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxVprbOsE7A

DaiB wrote:Looks good, but does Queen St really need TWO signage shops, so close together?

This deserved a better response that that which it got...

murfilicious wrote:

DaiB wrote:Looks good, but does Queen St really need TWO signage shops, so close together?

This deserved a better response that that which it got...

agreed.

however more important is that we see the return of DaiB, a former forum heavyweight

Jantra wrote:

murfilicious wrote:

DaiB wrote:Looks good, but does Queen St really need TWO signage shops, so close together?

This deserved a better response that that which it got...

agreed.

however more important is that we see the return of DaiB, a former forum heavyweight

agreed on both fronts! mind you DaiB still makes regular contributions - just not not daily -
Hope you are well DaiB, glad you're still 'looking in'

The Morgan Quarter has announced that plans are in place to extend international fashion brand Jack Wills’ existing flagship Cardiff store. The new configuration will see them trading over two floors and a 150 per cent increase in floor space. The new, larger Jack Wills store is due to open in September 2017.

This expansion has been facilitated by the announcement from independent department store, Rossiters of their plans to close their Cardiff store in April to concentrate on their core business in Bath. Peter James, managing director stated “We are very proud of the store which we think has provided the city with something a little bit different”.

A management spokesperson confirmed that the Rossiters store will be reconfigured to accommodate the new Jack Wills store. The reconfiguration will also see the creation of a second unit on the Royal Arcade which will be brought to market later this year.

A Morgan Quarter spokesperson commented: “The Morgan Quarter is a key destination for luxury and independent retail and whilst we are sad to see Rossiters leave these changes give us the opportunity to further expand the exciting line up of brands on offer to our customers alongside our other recent arrivals such as Jo Jo Maman Bebe. We are hugely excited by the Jack Wills expansion plans and look forward to seeing the new store later in the year.”

Thats a shame. I quite liked nipping into that store for Christmassy trinkets.

But I guess that was the problem - its upper level selling such trinkets probably did reasonably well, albeit heavily reliant on seasonal trade. The larger basement used for selling furniture probably did rather less well. It was pricier than Ikea and the likes of DFS, Harveys, etc. And it didn't form part of people's itinery for such shopping - which is very "out of town" in South Wales. One of the reasons why John Lewis's sales in Cardiff are so low on a comparable basis with other stores is the poor showing of homewares and electronics. People in South Wales just don't have a habit of shopping for these in city centre or department stores anymore.

BTW, how popular is Jack Wills Cardiff? Its quite a small store but has never looked that busy when I've looked in? And would I be unfair in thinking that rather like Superdry the brand has lost a little of its allure by becoming somewhat too ubiquitous? Has it actually got that much longeivity?