Burberry has announced plans to double the size of its New York flagship store by purchasing 7 East 57th Street, the building next to its current store at 9 East 57th Street. When the two sites are brought together, an aggregate 36,000 square feet – including approximately 21,000 square feet of selling space – will result, as well as 56 feet of frontage and five sales floors. The new store is expected to be ready in the fall of 2002.
The purchase is the latest in a series of moves by Burberry to increase the retail visibility of its brand around the world. Burberry recently opened a flagship store in New Bond Street in London and in December it plans to debut a flagship store in the Ginza district in Tokyo.
“Our commitment to creating exciting retail environments for the Burberry brand has been demonstrated by our recently opened Bond Street store,” said Rose Marie Bravo, Burberry ceo. “Flagship stores help us establish a powerful presence for our merchandise. With this expansion in New York, Burberry will have an extraordinary new platform in the heart of the world's greatest shopping district.”
“This expanded U.S. flagship store accelerates Burberry's progress,” added chairman Victor Barnett, “because 57th Street is the ultimate showcase for major luxury brands and the store will aid us in realizing our full potential in the large American market.”
The new store will sell the Burberry Prorsum and London collections for men, women and children as well as a wide range of accessories such as handbags, small leather goods, shoes, luggage, scarves and fragrance. Burberry is a division of The Great Universal Stores P.L.C.