Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Warehouse, Bathstore, Aldi and M&S

Warehouse to open first Oxford Street flagship

Warehouse is to open a flagship store on Oxford Street which will be used to showcase the fashion brand to an international audience.

The 2,500 sq ft shop at 264 Oxford Street, formerly occupied by Monsoon, will open at the end of February and adopt the format debuted in Trinity Leeds earlier this year.

Bathstore breaks into profit as it relaunches website

Bathstore is back in the black after its first year under private equity owner Endless and the retailer has relaunched its website.

The bathroom specialist, which was bought by Endless last May for £15m, made a full-year profit of £3.3m in its year to July 2013. Last year Bathstore made an operating loss of £3.8m.

Bathstore launched a new ecommerce platform in late November as part of chief executive Gary Favell’s aim to transform the retailer into an omnichannel business.

Aldi to file suit against Dunnes Stores over trademark infringement

German discount retailer Aldi is to file a lawsuit against Irish retailer Dunnes Stores on December 9 in the High Court over trademark infringement, The Irish Times reported. In its complaint, Aldi will allege that Dunnes unfairly uses Aldi’s name and prices in its advertising comparing the two chains’ prices for a slew of grocery products. Aldi is expected to accuse that Dunnes’ ad are unfair because the items are not like-for-like comparisons.

M&S inks deal for one its of biggest stores in UK

Marks & Spencer has signed a deal with developer St Modwen to open one of its biggest stores in the UK, The Independent reported. This will see the retailer anchor the second phase of the developer’s £1bn refurbishment of the former Longbridge Rover plant in Birmingham with a 150,000 sq ft outlet.