Branching out everywhere

The signs are there. Tales of mergers back on the horizon and the FTSE 100 finishing above the crucial 5000 level since September last year suggests the recession is edging closer to an end.

And, if retail openings act as any form of economic barometer, the current raft of new stores on the horizon supports the newspapers’ optimism.

Only last week the drinks business reported on a new store for the Corks Out chain in the north of England, and now we’ve seen reports that Tesco has acquired 50 sites for Fresh & Easy, its convenience stores in the US, and award-winning London wine merchant Lea & Sandeman is celebrating its 21st birthday by opening a new store with a brand new look.

To create Lea & Sandeman’s modern-looking façade, which is a departure from the traditional blue that has long been associated with its stores, Lea & Sandeman suggested it did not want to be "confused" with another prominent retailer with a blue shop front…

Furthermore, the new Chiswick store (in south west London) confirmed it enjoyed a "storming start" to its first day of trading on 5 September, despite no advance publicity.

Meanwhile in the US, despite saying earlier this year it was slowing down the rate of its store openings, Tesco has, according to the Financial Times, actually acquired nearly 50 store sites in locations including San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose, and reportedly paid $3.75 million for two plots in the East Bay area.

Jane Parkinson, 14.09.2009