UK retailer Sainbury’s has announced the opening of its fifth Specsavers concession store, which marks the optical retail chain's 800th store opening overall in the UK and Ireland.
The new Specsavers concession is located in Sainsbury’s Preston Deepdale store, near Blackburn. Sainsbury’s is also trialling a further group of Specsavers stores, with the total due to reach 15 shops by March 2018, according to the retailer.
Range Of Partners
Sainsbury’s has a range of partners in stores including Patisserie Valerie, Sushi Gourmet, Lloyds Pharmacy, Timpsons, Habitat and Specsavers.
Following it’s acquisition of the home and general merchandise retailer Home Retail Group in 2016, the retailer rolled out over 100 Argos digital stores in its estate with plans for 165 by Christmas and 250 by March 2019, it said.
“We’re always looking for ways to provide customers with greater choice and convenience in our stores,” said Dean Clegg, director of property at Sainbury’s.
“We are delighted to be the location of Specsavers’ 800th store and it’s a great example of how we are broadening and differentiating our in-store offer to give shoppers even more reasons to visit Sainsbury’s.”
Sainsbury's recently launched a new coffee bar called 1869 Coffee in six of its stores, offering a wide range of hot drinks, pastries, cakes and hot sandwiches.
Last month, the retailer also began trialling a hot pizza pre-ordering service in three of its stores.
Grand Opening
Specsavers celebrated its 800th store with a grand opening attended by its co-founder, Dame Mary Perkins and – in a nod to the store's location on Flintoff Way – cricketer Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, according to Sainsbury’s.
"Sainsbury’s vision to provide greater choice and convenience to its customers perfectly aligns with our mission to raise awareness of the importance of eye tests and to provide professional and affordable eye care to all,” said Perkins.
“The Deepdale store is the fifth we have opened in a Sainsbury’s since August last year. We are delighted with the success of this collaboration."
Specsavers stores offer eye tests and hearing tests, as well as contact lens fittings, and a range of designer glasses, according to Sainsbury’s.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
