Crabtree & Evelyn is due to open nine pop-up stores across the UK in time for Christmas.
The brand's first pop-up store opened today in Spitalfields, London, while other stores are due to open their doors in Shrewsbury, Bromley, Bristol, St Albans, Hampstead, Somerset House, Wembley and Perth. In addition, two new permanent stores will also open in Cheltenham and Windsor; one store already exists in Windsor, but is being relocated. The opening of the new pop-up stores will create up to 50 new temporary jobs and are expected to be open for varying durations of three to 15 months.
The pop-up stores are being launched as part of the brand's five year strategy to grow the business. Crabtree & Evelyn aims to increase its retail sales by 14% between now and Christmas; it has already seen a 47% increase in its Christmas sales compared with last year.
Jacqui Gale, CEO of Crabtree & Evelyn EMEA, said: “These new store openings are integral to our five year strategy to grow the business. Our main goal is to have a presence in all major cities in the UK and to meet the demand for more retail outlets. The festive period is an important time in the retail calendar and the opening of our new shops will enable us to reach new customers looking for gifts in the run up to Christmas.”
In addition, at the opening of the Spitalfields pop-up store, the brand launched its new Secret Garden 2013 Gift Collection comprising home fragrance and gift sets. Available for the home is a selection of fragranced products in both the brand's signature Christmas scent Noël and its new scent Gilded Chestnut. Products include: Small Poured Candle (£12), Large Poured Candle (£28), Home Fragrance Oil (£9), Fragranced Botanicals (£25) and Home Fragrance Spray (£12). New this year is the Porcelain Diffuser (£30), which features an ornate ceramic leaf design in place of a traditional reed, while there is also a new 3-Wick Poured Candle (£32) available in Noël.
Gift sets include: Gardeners Mini Duo (£8), Garden Favourites Hand Therapy Collection (£12), Rosewater Little Luxuries (£12), Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed Hand Care Trio (£18), Avocado, Olive & Basil Bath & Body Duo (£25), La Source Luxury Essentials (£35) and, for men, West Indian Lime Essentials (£22).