Liverpool retail giant increases furniture offer as it moves into ex-John Lewis city centre store

3rd September 2009 | retail | Home retailer Rapid Hardware has brought forward its move into the former John Lewis store in the centre of Liverpool by almost 18 months and has increased the amount of floorspace devoted to home furnishings.

Rapid was originally scheduled to move in January 2011, but has taken the opportunity to move sooner after another retailer passed over the chance to move in on an interim basis. John Lewis left to take a store in the recent Liverpool One retail development.

The new Rapid store is three times as large as its former premises on Liverpool's Renshaw Street, and is centrally located in the George Henry Lee building - one of the city's iconic retail sites.

The move has seen the £12m turnover firm cease using its Classic Furnishings name, instead opting to trade its furniture offer under the Rapid brand - with director of group operations Liz Jenkins saying 'it's what our customers know us as.'

The Renshaw Street site has been bought by Grosvenor - the developer of Liverpool One.