London-based chain Lords has opened a new flagship store in the west of the capital which it says is unlike anything seen before in the hardware and DIY market.
The 2,000sq ft outlet opened on Saturday at 84-86 Holland Park Avenue, W11, and brings the number of Lords stores to seven. However, it is the first to be branded Lords of Notting Hill, tying in with the name of the company's ecommerce site, launched in 2009.
"This particular brand is from clicks to bricks," Lords' Shanker Patel told DIY Week, "and one of our stores in Westbourne Grove will also be converted to Lords of Notting Hill."
He went on: "This is completely different to any homewares, DIY or giftware store you've ever seen. We've looked at John Lewis, Selfridge's and The White Company - how they do it and how we can bring it into our category. The retail environment has been created using amazing shop fittings and display signs, and it's well laid out. The stores will have i-pads inside, and we're using IT systems to personalise customer service, for instance by maintaining purchasing records. And if you want it dropped off in two hours we have a solution; if you want it walked round to your house, we'll do it."
He said customers would have a huge choice too: "The whole ethos is these are local stores on the high street but they'll leverage availability in-store and on the website, with over 75,000 products.
"We're bringing retailing back to what it's meant to do: come, look, feel the product and discuss it with members of staff who understand what they're selling," he added.
To advertise Saturday's launch, Lords sent out a newsletter the day before to its entire database, and the business is on Twitter and Facebook. As a result, said Mr Patel, the opening day had been "fantastic. Three-hundred customers walked in, with 100 transactions, and revenue-wise we did £4,000."