Bhs opened its latest Home store last Thursday as part of the launch of Barton Square, the homewares-based extension to Manchester’s Trafford Centre.

At 24,000 sq ft (2,230 sq m), the Bhs Home store was the biggest to open on the day, alongside smaller offerings from Habitat, Next Home and Dwell. Like all of its rivals, it trades from one floor.

The Bhs store has a number of departures from the blueprint that was unveiled when the first Home store opened on the outskirts of Chichester in 2006. Among these are dark wood fixtures, a dedicated small electricals shop and new visual merchandising methods for displaying glassware and cutlery.

Bhs retail director Tony Brown said that the inspiration for the glass displays, where tumblers are piled high on freestanding mid-floor blocks, was taken from US retailer Crate & Barrel. He added that the outsize lampshades, which dominate the view as shoppers look across the store, were the outcome of a visit to the recent EuroShop trade fair in Düsseldorf.

Bhs will open a number of additional Home shops later this year.

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