Harvey Nichols announces Birmingham store expansion

The new store will undergo an exciting transformation that will see it more than double in size to over 45,000 sq. ft. Over six metres in height, the retail space will be engineered to capitalise upon available daylight and allow for innovative and intelligent store design, tailored toward the demands of Harvey Nichols’ customers.

Departments currently performing beyond expectations such as Menswear and Personal Shopping will be rewarded with increased space allocation, whilst the store will also consider incorporating a more sophisticated hospitality offer.

Joseph Wan, Group Chief Executive at Harvey Nichols, comments, “We firmly believe our participation in this redevelopment will underline our commitment to Birmingham and its shoppers –it is a testimony to our success in the city as well as the success of the city itself.

"The new store will enable us to greatly expand for our customers the best of Fashion, Beauty, Accessories and Food and to continue bringing them the very best in luxury and service well into the future.”

The new store at the heart of Mailbox will be the fundamental change in the much anticipated redevelopment, which will see an exciting transformation of the Mailbox space. Owners Brockton Capital and Milligan have earmarked substantial funds to enhance the building and public realm.

Melanie Taylor, Head of Leasing at Milligan, development partner and joint owner of the Mailbox, said: “The original developers created a prestigious shopping and lifestyle destination. Our goal is to strengthen this vision and to see Mailbox realise its full potential, with the customers’ needs at its very heart.”

Taylor continued, “The city has a great sense of optimism and pride towards what is home to The BBC and the destination that originally brought Harvey Nichols to Birmingham back in 2001. The restaurants and hotels in particular are well liked by Birmingham and its visitors. Our future plans will see the environment of the building transformed whilst bringing a unique collection of brands to Birmingham.”

The new Harvey Nichols store will be positioned in the former post-room space, at the heart of Mailbox. The space recently played host to a series of catwalk shows as the main attraction for the city’s inaugural style and shopping event - Style Birmingham Live.

Mailbox is working closely with Birmingham City Council to introduce a new, improved pedestrian friendly public realm reaching from the underpass beneath Suffolk Street Queensway to the very front of Mailbox. These structural changes will greatly enhance the sense of arrival from Navigation Street and New Street Station.

Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said, “The retail offer in Birmingham will be transformed over the next few years and I welcome Harvey Nichols being part of that change, doubling the size of its store in the Mailbox and strengthening its commitment to the city.”