Over 150 eager customers queued from 8am last week to be the first to shop in John Lewis' first new full-line, flexible-format department store.
The retailer says the new 65,000sq ft outlet, in Exeter city centre, marks the start of an exciting new phase in its accelerated growth strategy.

The flexible format sits between a John Lewis At Home store and a traditional John Lewis department store in terms of size. However, it can offer the full John Lewis assortment by making the most of the opportunities for omni-channel shopping.

The branch, whose opening was preceded by a pop-up shop in Exeter, will boost local employment with the creation of around 300 new jobs, and offers products across home, fashion, beauty, consumer electronics and nursery.

In the new store, specially-designed interactive information screens will take customers through a number of questions to help find the best product to match their needs. Digital store guides have been introduced to ensure customers can find their way around easily, and larger screens fitted on walls throughout provide information on products available not only in the shop but from the entire John Lewis assortment.

"We understand that customers now shop in many different ways," said John Lewis head of format development Tim Harrison. "We've chosen our Exeter shop to test a range of new concepts and trial a selection of interactive technologies for the very first time.

"Over the coming months we'll be looking at customer feedback and exploring how these initiatives can be enhanced and added to, not only for our shoppers in Exeter but across the country in other John Lewis shops."

John Lewis has identified at least 10 locations across the UK which could support its new format department store and has already announced the opening of shops in York, planned for a 2013 opening, and Chelmsford, due to open in 2014.