Søstrene Grene is set to open a new store at the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford on Friday, August 9th at 10 am. This grand opening will be marked by an exciting giveaway: the first 100 customers will receive a voucher for a large, tufted rug valued at over £60 and a canvas tote bag filled with various goodies. The event will also feature live performances from string musicians and ballet dancers, enhancing the festive atmosphere.
Known for its Scandinavian-inspired design and affordable prices, Søstrene Grene offers a wide range of products including homeware, crafts, hobby items, and lifestyle products. The Oxford store continues the brand’s expansion across the UK, with plans to have 100 stores in the UK by 2030 and 500 globally by 2027.
Søstrene Grene entered the UK market in 2016 with their first store in Nottingham. Since then, they have expanded across Northern England and Northern Ireland. In 2023, the company accelerated its UK expansion, opening their first store in Scotland, located in Glasgow, and their first London store at the Southside Wandsworth shopping centre.
The flagship store on Tottenham Court Road is one of the largest Søstrene Grene stores outside of their native Denmark.
Mikkel Grene, CEO and Co-Owner of Søstrene Grene, comments:
“We have very big plans for expanding our brand across the UK and we are thrilled to be adding another location to our roster in the South of England. Oxford is an incredible student city and with a leading shopping and leisure destination like Westgate, we have high hopes for the success of the new store.”
The store will feature weekly releases of trend-driven products in addition to its staple homeware selection. Drawing inspiration from Scandinavian design, customers will have access to an extensive range of soft furnishings, kitchenware, furniture, gifts, hobby crafts, seasonal decorations, and children’s toys, including “mini home” items.
Embracing the Danish philosophy of ‘hygge’ in both the product selection and in-store atmosphere, the brand’s concept embodies a sense of cosiness that evokes contentment and comfort – something which the whole of Denmark lives by. This is reflected in the brand’s ‘Retail for the Senses’ store design, which combines soft lighting, classical music and a labyrinth-style layout.
UK Joint Venture Partners, Norma Jacob and Richard Power, who run 25+ stores across Northern Ireland, Southern England and Scotland, are also looking forward to the upcoming opening.
Norma Jacob, comments:
“We can’t wait to bring Søstrene Grene to the world-renowned and historic city of Oxford. We expect the store to be popular with locals, students and the many daily visitors that the city centre receives. Just in time for the return of university students later this year, we hope our affordable homewares and stationery will be popular with those starting the new semester.”
Richard Power adds:
“Westgate Oxford has incredible footfall and couldn’t be a more exciting location for our next store to launch. Surrounded by a host of other key retailers, we think our concept will bring something really exciting to the centre. We have an exciting Grand Opening planned, as well as an impressive giveaway so it’s not one to be missed.”
Brendan Hattam, Centre Director at Westgate Oxford, comments:
“We are thrilled to announce that Søstrene Grene have chosen Westgate Oxford as their first location within the region. We’re sure that our guests will love the unique Nordic-inspired concept of the store, and the brand’s range of homeware, craft materials and lifestyle products will bring something totally new to the shopping centre’s offering.”
Søstrene Grene, Oxford will open at Westgate Shopping Centre on Friday 9th August at 10am
Who are Søstrene Grene?
Søstrene Grene is a family-owned Danish multi-category retail chain, founded in 1973 in Aarhus, Denmark by Inger Grene and Knud Cresten Vaupell Olsen. The name translates to ‘the Grene sisters,’ reflecting the inspiration from the founders’ daughters, Anna and Clara. Today, the chain is still run by the Grene family, with Mikkel Grene serving as CEO and Cresten Grene as the creative director since 2012.
The unique layout of Søstrene Grene stores is designed to enhance the shopping experience. Originally, the first store was situated on the first floor, requiring customers to climb stairs—a strategy devised by the founders to create a distinctive shopping journey. This approach has evolved into the current maze-like layout, which guides customers through various product categories before leading them back to the checkout area. The stores feature strategic spotlighting, dark walls, and classical music to create a cosy and calming atmosphere.
The product range is vast and includes homeware (furniture, kitchenware, lighting, bathroom accessories), crafts, gardening supplies, gifting supplies, stationery, travel accessories, children’s games and toys, and snacks. New items are introduced weekly, offering customers a sense of discovery and uniqueness. The focus is on Scandinavian design, often featuring floral elements, and all products are priced affordably. Most items are exclusive to Søstrene Grene, with some exceptions for snacks and online-only exclusives.
Søstrene Grene’s concept is often compared to other Danish variety store chains like Flying Tiger and Normal. However, Søstrene Grene places a greater emphasis on design and lifestyle branding, whereas Flying Tiger offers more gimmicky products and Normal focuses on bargain-priced national brands’ food and personal care items.
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