LONDON — Gap has returned to its London home, reopening its Covent Garden flagship in partnership with the British retail giant Next plc.
The store, at 30–31 Long Acre, reopens officially on Friday with a shop floor that’s full of attitude, with a sophisticated edge.
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A wall near the entrance features the ’80s strapline “Fall Into the Gap,” written in delicate white neon letters, with another wall at the back showcases black-and-white “heritage” portraits of past campaign stars. Shelves, tables and cabinets showcase photography, fashion, art books and vinyl records.
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The streamlined interiors, which are alive with color and texture, echo those of Gap’s Flatiron store in Manhattan, which opened last fall. Gap has begun rolling out the new concept to stores in the U.S., and this week is reopening its historic store on Chestnut Street in San Francisco.
But there is no doubt this store belongs to London.
To mark the Long Acre opening, Gap has forged partnerships with some of the locals, including Honest Jon’s record shop on Portobello Road, and will be offering a curated vinyl selection — a nod to its origins selling “Levi’s, Records & Tapes” out of its San Francisco store. There are also plans for DJs to turn up the music on weekends.
It’s also a full-circle moment. Gap owns the property at 30–31 Long Acre, and refused to rent it out, even after vacating in 2021 during the company-wide restructuring. All of Gap’s 81 company-operated stores in the U.K., its first and most successful European market, shut in the space of a few months that year.
“We had many retailers knocking on our door, but we held on, and worked and worked until the timing was right. We always wanted to reopen this store,” said Mark Breitbard, president and CEO of Gap brand, during a walk-through.
The building is also special. A former carriage manufactory dating from 1880, it is Grade II listed, which means it’s protected by law and it’s difficult to make any major changes. That’s why there are charming pitched ceilings and Dickensian-style fireplace upstairs, in the area currently known as the “khaki shop,” which offers more tailored pieces.
Covent Garden is the first stand-alone store to reopen as part of the joint venture between Gap and Next, and spans 3,250 square feet across two floors. It’s more interesting than in the past, and easier to navigate, with refreshed and more appealing visual merchandising.
The store has been divided into “destinations” that spotlight Gap’s icons — denim, khakis, fleece, logo, and shirts, which sit alongside the seasonal collections and limited-edition collaborations. Upstairs there’s a “hoodie wall,” and glass cabinets filled with accessories, books and records.
“The new design is fresher, brighter, cleaner and easier. We’re loving it, and the customers are responding. The storytelling is more interesting. I love it when I hear people ask if the assortment is different. But it’s not — it’s the same,” said Breitbard.
The Covent Garden flagship is just the beginning. A new Gap store is scheduled to open at Westfield White City in west London on Dec. 5, followed by a Gap Outlet store in Wembley on Dec. 18. Both locations will carry women’s, men’s, and children’s wear.
The stand-alone stores follow the openings of Gap shops-in-shop at Next stores.
In 2022, Gap opened its first, new-generation shop-in-shop inside Next plc’s largest West End store on London’s Oxford Street. It was the first fruit of the companies’ joint venture franchise partnership.
Breitbard said he sees the Long Acre store as a “north star” for future U.K. shops-in-shop, and said the partnership with Next is flourishing.
“They are formidable, and they know how to operate. I have always been impressed with their business acumen. Collectively, as partners, we’re excited about rebuilding the brand in the U.K.,” he said.
Next, one of the few historic high street chains to survive the rise of online shopping and the ups and downs of British retail, manages the Gap-branded shops at Next locations, as well as Gap’s e-commerce business here.
Next is quoted on the London Stock Exchange, and has historic ties to the Wolfson family, one of its major shareholders. Simon Wolfson is the company’s longtime CEO and his father, David Wolfson is a former chairman.
In addition to its 500 physical stores in the U.K. and Ireland, Next also operates a vast marketplace where it sells more than 1,000 fashion, home and beauty brands. The Leicester, England-based company is also part-owner of high street brands Reiss and Cath Kidston.