John Lewis targets optics

Department store chain John Lewis could introduce optician services as part of a ‘Store of the Future’ project, its retail director Andrew Murphy has revealed.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, Murphy had identified 700,000sq ft of space in its 30 stores that could be used for restaurants, barbers, opticians and post offices. He said it was crucial to give shoppers more reasons to visit stores and encourage them to spend more time in them. ‘Keeping our shops enjoyable places to be is an incredibly important part of our strategy. But the John Lewis brand is not magic dust. We have to carefully consider what the brand stands for and where we take this plan.’