John Lewis - 8 stores going

[SerendipityJane]

Not great for fans of instore shopping.

I had the same issue with lack of service in JL Oxford St. I bought a sofa from them six years ago and they arranged for it to be delivered by a specialist company who could get it lowered into my basement. My cost of course but a service JL offered. I went back last year to get the same service for a large fridge (over £700). This time - ‘oh no madam we can’t help you with that’

‘But you did it last time. Can you even tell me who you used to do difficult deliveries and I’ll contact them myself’

‘No. That’s not what we do’

So I found the company myself and ordered the item on AO. Cheaper but that wasn’t really my goal. It was the service that had disappeared in a few short years. .

@lafillette

I meant Grand Central not the Bullring of course, but I see them as linked. Bad news whatever you call it.

Oh, undoubtedly linked. The shoppers Not Going to John Lewis will also Not Be Going to the Bullring either.

The shame of it is, in 24 years of living in Brum, I only just got a chance to know what the city centre is like without hoardings somewhere blocking the view. Oh well.

@taverrn I also suspect they are still tied into a longer lease there and a break clause means closure is not viable yet.

That’s Grand Central ruined then. I loved doing my Christmas there and JL was the highlight. They should have closed the one in Cheltenham, it’s very new but absolutely rubbish!
I will go to the one in Bristol for my Christmas shopping this year then.

I occasionally get the train into Birmingham Grand Central and it's a really busy, noisy, crowded place. The John Lewis store was very nice but stores like Cribbs Causeway/Solihull are more convenient, a bit calmer and I prefer to drive and park outside.

My bugbear is people using shops as showrooms and then ordering, cheaper, on line. This is the result of that. Most are too thick/selfish to realise that.

@PolaDeVeboise

My bugbear is people using shops as showrooms and then ordering, cheaper, on line. This is the result of that. Most are too thick/selfish to realise that.

That's not always the case though ...

Last time I wanted some decent sandals ("decent" = not with velcro fastening, but proper clips) I looked high and low - every shop in the Merry Hill shopping centre. Not one, not one had anything other than cheapie single use ones with velcro fastening. Which were all the same brands anyway.

£35 online, and still as good as new - 9 years later. (Possibly helped by the short summer season we have in the UK )

I could have spent £100 on a pair from (then) Millets. But they would have been for hiking, not light general use.

I was particularly irritated as I was replacing a pair that had a proper fastening - so I knew they existed.

(See also buttons over zips. No, it's not "the fashion". It's just cheaper to make) ...

I never really believed the Croydon Westfield was going to happen, guess it's even more unlikely now.

I love John Lewis & shop there a lot for most things except womenswear.

I loved the Birmingham one.

my local Watford one is going, it's such a shame but it wasn't very busy.

It's been there years (although moved location) I remember visiting it when I was little, i loved the haberdashery dept and miles of cloth, no-one is very interested in that now I don't think. People don't need curtains and clothes made to measure anymore :(.

Also shops like Primark have warped the clothing market so decent clothing seems overpriced now. I'm a bit peed off the Oxford street shop still isn't open as planning to visit tomorrow and will have to wait for that one.

apparently the Watford one was rent free too

Thing is if i'm buying a saucepan or glass or chair I much prefer to hold it or sit in it before I buy. Online doesn't offer me that.

I’m amazed the Sheffield one is staying open. Footfall in Sheffield city centre seems low when everyone goes to Meadowhall up the m1. John Lewis there always seems quiet.

I always thought JL in Birmingham/Grand Central was a bit of a white elephant and I've no idea why the location was thought to be appropriate. It was the least busy JL I've been in so far. People are passing through a very busy train station (the busiest outside London) and thinking 'I want a coffee/I want some noodles/I want a sandwich/I want to buy a book for the train journey' and generally they'll head to M&S, Wagamama, WH Smiths, that burrito place etc. Most people aren't thinking 'I need to buy/order furniture now, I need to buy/order a new buggy now'. Plus there's another one in Solihull 7 miles away!

Just read it cost £35 million.

Agree with the poster who said that our idea of prices has been warped. People will go to Primark if they can buy a pair of jeans for £2 made in a sweat shop in China.

Own brand John Lewis stuff is great. Decent quality at a fair price. They treat their staff and suppliers well. Waitrose has high standards in terms of meat/animal welfare.

Obviously, lots of people out there don't have a choice and have to shop based on price alone.

I find the whole race to the bottom 'let's get everything as cheap as possible' a bit depressing personally.

I'm gutted about Birmingham. We go there a couple of times a year and I was so excited when I heard one was opening in Birmingham. I get my underwear there, shoes and like to look around homeware and cosmetics.

The problem with John Lewis in Birmingham is that all the brands you'd expect to see inside (Jo Malone, Joules, White Company etc) have their own stores in Grand Central. So what's the point of going inside that John Lewis?
Plus the Solihull branch is bigger and 10 minutes away by train.

I find the whole race to the bottom 'let's get everything as cheap as possible' a bit depressing personally.

Completely agree. Plus once all competitors have gone it's easier to increase prices.

I find the whole race to the bottom 'let's get everything as cheap as possible' a bit depressing personally.

Completely agree. Plus once all competitors have gone it's easier to increase prices.

The Newbury JL At Home suffered from being in the wrong location - an upmarket dept. store 200 yards away doing the same sort of stuff (other than electricals) and a "full" JL store 30 minutes away in Reading.

Sad for staff losing their jobs but I won't miss the stores. I have probably only bought something from JL about 3 times in my 45 year life. I am not even entirely sure they actually sell - I know it's a department store so they have a large variety of goods but do they sell Nintendo games? Do they have a book department? Do they have a camping department? I haven't a clue (and their Christmas adverts never tell me).

@twilightcafe

The problem with John Lewis in Birmingham is that all the brands you'd expect to see inside (Jo Malone, Joules, White Company etc) have their own stores in Grand Central. So what's the point of going inside that John Lewis? Plus the Solihull branch is bigger and 10 minutes away by train.

Yes I think they have looked at the two stores very close to each other and have decided that Solihull is more viable, especially now Waitrose is there too.

Good transport links to Solihull as well, I'm not sure Brum still has the pull like it did years ago.

We always buy any electrical goods particularly tech stuff from
JL because of their automatic two year guarantee. Also love their tableware/ towels/ bedding.

I'm sad about Watford. With Debenhams going as well, and intu being in trouble - is all the effort to do up the harlequin going to have been in vain?