This signing marks the latest stage of Hammerson’s strategy to proactively step-up the brand mix at its flagship destinations to introduce the world’s leading brands and offer customers an engaging experience every time they visit one of its venues.
Brown Thomas’s vision for the store is to create a contemporary space – mixing physical and digital – designed to enhance the shopping experience for customers. Following a complete refit of the existing retail space, the store will launch in the first half of 2021, with plans to employ over 400 people when open. It will trade over two levels and comprise of over 63,000 sq ft, with a net retail sales area of 45,000 sq ft. The new store will complement the already successful brand mix at Dundrum, which includes Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Kurt Geiger.
Mark Bourgeois, Managing Director UK & Ireland at Hammerson, said: “Across our portfolio, we’re proactively shifting the brand mix and repurposing department store space to ensure our destinations are as attractive and engaging as possible. We’re really focusing on the world’s leading brands and experiences, and today’s announcement is a great example of that strategy in action, as Brown Thomas is one of Ireland’s most iconic and successful retail brands. Not only does it have a cherished heritage, it also delivers an extraordinary experience every time you visit. The investment from Brown Thomas will transform the department store line up at Dundrum, replacing two levels of the existing House of Fraser store, ensuring Dundrum remains the premium destination of choice for both brands and consumers.”
Donald McDonald, Managing Director of Brown Thomas Arnotts, said: “We are delighted to have secured a new enlarged store at Dundrum – one of Ireland’s leading shopping centres. We have been looking for a larger space in the centre for a number of years to enable us to deliver a more enhanced customer experience, and in particular, to help grow our successful BT2 business there.
“Brown Thomas Dundrum will reflect the considerable investment we’ve made in recent years to make our stores and online platforms exciting and inspiring destinations for our customers, who can expect unrivalled product ranges and innovative new retail and digitally-enabled concepts at Dundrum once opened. In the meantime, it will be business as usual for the existing store in Dundrum, and for customers and team members.”
Dundrum Town Centre will be of particular appeal to Brown Thomas devotees. The Green Luas Line and Dublin bus routes offer direct access from across the city, while the proximity to the M50 motorway ensures it is connected to all the major national roads. The destination also provides 3,400 convenient car parking spaces.
The news of this major letting follows the recent planning approval for 107 new apartments for rent at Dundrum Town Centre. Work on creating an additional residential neighbourhood at Dundrum will begin in 2020. Hammerson is leading the development on behalf of the Dundrum Retail Limited Partnership, a 50:50 Allianz and Hammerson joint venture that owns and operates Dundrum Town Centre.
