Yankee Candle is the first to open at The Boulevard, the Lotus Property-owned scheme positioned between capital cities, Belfast and Dublin.
The well-loved candle brand is taking a 161 sq m unit close to existing tenants Nike and M&S and will be joined by fashion brands James Lakeland and AKAwear in early November, taking units of 200 sq m and 105 sq m respectively.
Regional department store, Houstons will also set up shop at The Boulevard, bringing its eclectic mix of women’s fashion to a 226 sq m unit, having enjoyed years of loyal customer visits at the neighboring Banbridge high street.
The new arrivals will collectively create 20 local jobs – a further boost to the local economy on the back of continued investment in the scheme by landlord Lotus Property.
Chris Nelmes, Retail Director at The Boulevard has said: “With Christmas just six weeks away, we’re delighted to welcome our new tenants offering our customers an exciting mix of quality products and fantastic deals.
“Despite the economic climate, we’re optimistic about continued growth both in terms of footfall and sales, and even more so now that we’ve added to the portfolio of brands here on site. The Boulevard, which is located on the main A1 road linking Belfast and Dublin, has always welcomed traffic from both sides of the border but we are seeing more license plates from the south of Ireland at the moment, due to the weak pound, which is offering the shopper a lot more bang for their buck, on top of the continuous discount offer of up to 70% off RRP from our retailers; and really helping drive footfall and sales.”
Aisling Lawless, asset manager at Lotus Property commented: “The interest we’re seeing in The Boulevard and Northern Ireland as a whole, is a testament to a confident consumer and a strong retail and leisure market as shoppers continue to want quality products and value for money – not always an easy combination to find.
“The Boulevard is going from strength to strength as we welcome more brands to its roster to join an already impressive mix spanning sports and outdoor, women and men’s fashion, homeware and cookware, shoes and handbags.”
Yankee Candle, James Lakeland, Houston’s and AKAwear join existing tenants such as kate spade ny, Levi’s, GUESS, Kurt Geiger, Dune London, M&S, Next, Jack Wills, Timberland, Crew Clothing, and Joules.
