- John Lewis accelerates its shift toward immersive, experiential retail by bringing new specialist concessions to stores
- New partnerships launch across travel and fine art advisory, and wider rollout of bespoke wellbeing and luxury piercing services
- Expansion is part of John Lewis’s £800m brand transformation, turning department stores into vibrant, must-visit destinations
John Lewis is supercharging its in-store experience, introducing an expanded line-up of specialist concessions nationwide as it redefines physical retail.
Powered by a £800m brand transformation programme, which includes four store refurbishments this year, the retailer is developing vibrant destinations where shopping meets discovery, world-class expertise and memorable experiences.
As today’s customers seek out rich, tactile, and advisor-led experiences over routine transactions, John Lewis is pairing its trusted heritage with market-leading specialists. This rollout supports John Lewis’ omnichannel strategy by combining the convenience of online shopping with friendly, expert services in store. Chosen for their service excellence and high customer appeal, each partner gives customers fresh reasons to explore, engage, and spend time in store.
- Audley Travel: The travel expert is launching interactive, inspiring in-store travel hubs across 12 stores from November, offering end-to-end holiday planning by destination specialists across over 90 worldwide destinations including private safaris, land-and-cruise trips, beach stays, cultural escapes, and milestone celebrations. This will be the first time Audley Travel has had a high street presence in its 30 year history.
- Clarendon Fine Art: The UK’s largest art gallery group is opening dedicated galleries in three branches by early October, offering personalised art consultancy and access to curated contemporary fine art and 20th-century masters. Artists such as Mr Brainwash and The Connor Brothers through to 20th Century Masters such as L.S Lowry, Picasso and Keith Haring feature in the collection.
- Randox Health: The preventative healthcare leader is more than doubling its existing in-store clinics, empowering customers to proactively track their health with accessible blood testing and wellness assessments.
- Tish Lyon: The piercing and jewellery brand is more than doubling its presence across John Lewis this year, delivering safe, premium piercing and jewellery welding services, with solid 14k gold jewellery fitted by elite piercers in bespoke studios.
[Further detail on the brands and their rollout below]
These concessions sit alongside John Lewis’s signature Partner led advisory services – including Home Design, Personal Styling, and Nursery consultations – while complementing popular existing partnerships like Tapi and David Clulow Opticians. The appetite for in-person expertise is on the rise: demand for John Lewis’s advisory services rose over 5% in the first half of the year.
Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Services and Hospitality at John Lewis, said: “Our stores are the beating heart of the John Lewis brand, and physical retail is undergoing an exciting revolution. Today’s shoppers want far more than products on shelves, they want inspiration, helpful expertise, and extraordinary experiences. By uniting world-class specialist partners like Clarendon Fine Art and Audley Travel with our core expertise, we are transforming our stores into dynamic destinations that drive footfall and build customer loyalty.”
Richard Hodgson, CEO at Audley Travel, commented: “We’re delighted to partner with John Lewis for our first physical retail presence in our 30 years’ operation. This partnership will allow us to engage new clients through immersive in-store experiences and to really bring our unique offering to life. Our in-store staff will work closely with our destination specialists, each of whom arranges trips to only a small number of destinations – not a whole region – having lived or travelled extensively there. This knowledge and insight allows us to create authentic journeys, firmly rooted in the culture of a destination.
“Our brands share many synergies, for example a discerning, affluent customer base and high levels of personal service. Partnering with John Lewis creates a holistic service combining Audley’s expertise and the trust of the John Lewis brand, offering customers who shop in the stores a seamless solution for their holiday needs.”
Rebecca Ball, Chief Commercial Officer at Clarendon Fine Art, said: “Our partnership with John Lewis marks an important milestone in Clarendon Fine Art’s growth, bringing together two brands united by quality, expertise and personal service.
“We believe art collecting should be driven by genuine connection and emotional resonance. By integrating our artworks within shopping spaces customers already know and trust, we can make those moments of discovery more natural and accessible, while demonstrating the powerful role art and culture can play in creating richer retail experiences.”
