It’s a big move for a big name.
Oliver Bonas will relocate its York store to the city’s King’s Square this August, it was revealed today.
The fashion and homeware retailer is about to begin fitting out the former Boots store, ready to relocate from its present home on Stonegate.
YorkMix revealed the move was happening in January.
After agreeing a letting with Helmsley Group, Oliver Bonas’s new store will occupy the 2,164 sq ft ground floor of the building.
Its interior is “designed to incorporate bespoke display fixturing and a unique finish palette to compliment the heritage of the listed building”, the firm said.
Sevda Cankorur, head of retail at Oliver Bonas, said: “We’re really excited to be relocating to a great unit in the heart of York.
“We’re taking over what was the old Boots and transforming it into 2,000 sq ft of retail space.
“It’s a fantastic spot, and we can’t wait to welcome the local community and share our distinctive mix of fashion, homeware and gifts.”
Max Reeves, director at Helmsley Group, said: “We can’t wait to welcome Oliver Bonas to this new larger store on King’s Square.
“The brand is extremely popular, and we are confident this expanded space in a city centre location with high footfall will be a real success.”
Helmsley Group plans to transform the unused upper floors into flats. The group is committed to bringing new residential space to unused upper floors throughout York.
That also forms part of its approved masterplan for the transformation of Coney Street.
Max Reeves added: “It is our mission at Helmsley to bring back York’s historic buildings to their full potential by developing disused upper floor space which is often neglected or left vacant.
“We are looking forward to creating some much-needed residential properties within the heart of York.”
The Oliver Bonas move will mean the historic building it occupies on Stonegate will be available for a new retailer.
The timber frontage of number 35 dates back to the 15th century. In 1682 Francis Hilyard opened his famous bookshop The Sign Of The Bible there.
The building became known as the House of the Bible, with a distinctive wooden bible still hanging over the front door.