Hammerson is pleased to announce the landmark opening of Garmin’s first UK store at Westquay, Southampton, demonstrating Garmin’s commitment to UK consumers following its considerable growth. Garmin is a global leader in smartwatch and GPS-enabled technology and will be offering UK visitors its full and extensive range of products in one physical place for the first time. Through an immersive brand experience with access to knowledgeable experts, Garmin is targeting both long-time users as well as first-time customers.
Westquay attracts over 17m visitors a year and has a broad, affluent and growing catchment, by population and employment. Outdoor sports and sea-based activities are key part of life in Southampton and the South Coast, from running and cycling to sailing and golf, meaning the 2,625 sq ft unit will act as a major draw for a wide range of target customers.
Garmin’s new store is positioned in a prime location alongside other sought-after and premium brands. It is the latest example of Westquay’s continued flight to quality and ability to draw in leading brands for their debut stores. Garmin joins a high-quality mix of global, national and specialist stores alongside a wide range of leisure and eating out options at Westquay.
Toby Tait, Director of Asset Management at Hammerson, commented: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Garmin on its maiden UK store, providing a space for it to bring its full collection of devices into one compelling brand experience for customers. We were quick to understand Garmin’s critical requirement for the right space in the right location to showcase the brand. Garmin boosts an already thriving Southampton destination, with Westquay now fully established as a destination for brands, events and experiences to serve the city and wider region.”
Jon Oliver, Managing Director at Garmin UK & Ireland, commented: “Westquay is a perfect location for us to open our first store. Not only it is down the road from our European headquarters, being so close to the South Coast and New Forest mean that many of our customers come to this area for work and leisure.”
With 94,400m2 of internal lettable area, major brands include John Lewis, M&S, Space NK, Zara, Sweaty Betty, Pandora and Hugo Boss. The day and night offer includes cinema, bowling and a broad mix of dining options as well as vast public activity space, which hosts events and brand experiences throughout the year.