Waterstones to return to Oxford Street in new partnership with John Lewis

The retailer is set to open a new bookshop within John Lewis Oxford Street on October 8.

The bookshop will be located on the second floor of the John Lewis department store, alongside the cafe, and will carry a selection of nearly 20,000 books, including non-fiction, fiction and children’s books.

The move marks Waterstones’ return to the shopping street after eight years away.

At one point, the bookseller had four stores on Oxford Street, with the last one closing in 2016.

Kate Skipper, chief operating officer at Waterstones, said: “We are thrilled to be working with John Lewis on this exciting new partnership and delighted to be returning to Oxford Street this autumn.

“Waterstones at John Lewis Oxford Street will be an extensively ranged bookshop sited within this iconic flagship department store, perfect for browsing and a hub for author signings, with our booksellers on hand to offer expert customer guidance. We can’t wait to open our doors on Tuesday, October 8.” 

Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality at John Lewis, said: “We’re delighted to join hands with Waterstones, whose values and customer base are highly aligned with ours.

“We’re dedicated to offering our customers the best shopping experience possible, and this new bookshop is another way for us to invest in the customer offer, from our products and services to our complimentary hospitality offerings.

“With the record number of customers shopping with us, it is crucial for us to continue investing in our brand and customer proposition.”