National press reports suggest that John Lewis Partnership may not re-open all of its 50 department stores post-lockdown and that it is also considering opening Waitrose food halls within some of those that remain. What is clear is that the department store chain model of old is no longer viable in today’s market and that its days were numbered long before Covid-19 struck.
Should John Lewis proceed to permanently close certain of its stores, this will also impact its concession holders who have already suffered a sharp downturn in sales over the past 9 months, as well as a decimation of their usual store based sales since lockdown. John Lewis has always prided itself on selecting sought after mid-market brands for its concession space which include Boden, Mint Velvet, hush, Brora, Sweaty Betty, White Stuff and Whistles. It is currently staging an online clearance sale across its fashion department with discounts of up to 50 per cent.
Share