Translated by
Roberta HERRERA
Published
Jan 3, 2023
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Store openings in Spain that marked the year 2022

Translated by
Roberta HERRERA
Published
Jan 3, 2023

Following the pandemic and its consequent restrictions, Spanish retail seems to have regained its usual luster in 2022. Strategic moves and operations in full swing have driven store openings throughout the year in several of the country's capitals. In addition to the return of foot traffic and tourism to major shopping hubs, the demand for prime retail spaces and rental rates have continued to rise compared to the previous year. According to data compiled by the consulting firm Cushman & Wakefield, the sector contracted up to 34,500 square meters in 2021, and forecasts indicate that this trend has continued over the past year. Some of the most noteworthy retail trends of the year have included opening innovative macro-stores in city centres, brands renovating their luxury spaces, the development of hybrid establishments, the resurgence of travel retail, and the deployment of retail in strategic cities.


Exterior of the new Zara store in the center of Valencia - Zara


Zara's megastore in Valencia



The Inditex group's flagship chain closed the year 2022 with a strategic opening in the center of Valencia, more specifically at number 4, Don Juan de Austria street. The 6,000-square-meter megastore, spanning three floors and located in the building formerly occupied by the emblematic Boulevard Austria shopping malls, replicates the concept of its flagship store in Madrid's Plaza España, which also opened this year.

Highlights include a bright, luxurious and minimalist space with sections dedicated to lingerie, beauty, footwear and accessories, as well as special collections such as the "Athleticz" sports collection, the "Studio" premium collection and collaborations with designers such as Narciso Rodriguez.


Uniqlo store on Madrid's Gran Via - Martín Méndez


Uniqlo lands on Madrid's Gran Vía 



The Japanese brand is continuing to expand in Spain. After opening its first store in the capital at the end of 2019, specifically in the luxurious Serrano street, Uniqlo opted to land this year on Madrid's busy Gran Via. Located at number 37 of the coveted street, the 2200-square-meter flagship store occupies the building that previously housed the Avenida Cinema and the Pasapoga showroom. This new location represents the largest of the six stores with which the company operates in Spain.

Customers visiting the store benefit from special services such as being able to customise their garments with exclusive designs by artists or to extend the life cycle of their clothing through the repair and tailoring services made available. 


First Lululemon store in Barcelona - Lululemon


Lululemon opens stores in Madrid and Barcelona

The Canadian sports brand made an online and offline landing in Spain at the end of last summer. "Lululemon is arriving in Spain with plenty of ground to explore," said the company, anticipating the strategic opening of its first two mono-brand stores in the market. The first of them in Barcelona, with a space of 225 square meters at number 65 of Paseo de Gracia, and the second in Madrid, at number 40 of the Serrano shopping street, where the sportswear brand set up a 285 square meter store at street level.

Shortly thereafter, at the beginning of December, Lululemon asserted its commitment to the European market with a key location on the Champs Elysées in Paris.


The Lefties store includes a coffee shop - Lefties


The low-cost battle: Lefties takes on Primark



The Inditex group's most affordable fashion chain opened a strategic new store in Madrid ahead of the holiday season. Located at number 25 Montera Street, just a stone's throw from Puerta del Sol, the 4,000-square-meter megastore is the largest opened by the brand to date. The store features 3D digital art decorations, innovative check-out systems and smart fitting rooms, in addition to offering capsule collections and collaborations with brands such as the NBA and housing spaces dedicated to holiday, perfumery and maternity collections.

In addition, the futuristic space equipped with digital screens also features pick-up points for online orders, a personalisation service, a recycling station, free water fountains that are also suitable for pets, arcade machines, a music booth and even a coffee shop. 

Inditex's goal with this venture appears to be to compete with the low-cost Irish retail chain Primark, which has enjoyed significant foot traffic since its store opened on Gran Vía in 2015. 


Casa Loewe store in Barcelona - Loewe


Emblematic reopenings: Loewe and Cartier in Barcelona



Loewe reopened its store at number 35 Paseo de Gracia on April 23 after undergoing extensive renovations. The brand owned by the French conglomerate LVMH chose Sant Jordi's day to inaugurate its space, a feast day when books and roses are traditionally given as gifts. Transformed into an art gallery of sorts under the watchful eye of the maison's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, the store is located in the Casa Lléo Morera, an iconic 512-square-meter space designed by modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Meanwhile, the equally luxurious Cartier returned to its boutique at number 82 on the same street last September after undergoing renovations. The result? A 450-square-meter establishment spread over a single floor in which the jewellery firm unveiled its new store concept. During the remodeling period, Cartier temporarily occupied the iconic Casa Batlló.


Inside one of Freshly Cosmetics' stores - Freshly Cosmetics


From Seville to Pamplona, Freshly Cosmetics' nationwide expansion​



The natural cosmetics and makeup startup founded in 2016 by Miquel Antolín and Mireia Trepat accelerated its retail growth in 2022 with a penetration strategy in several Spanish cities. Throughout the year, Freshly Cosmetics added new stores in Valencia, Seville, Reus, Barcelona, Gijón and Pamplona to its existing stores in Madrid and Barcelona.

These colorful spaces were designed to display its vegan products in order to attract customers in the physical channel. In the online channel, which accounts for most of the company's turnover, the brand is already available in 25 countries. In fiscal year 2021, the company increased its turnover to 50 million euros.


New Mango store at Madrid's airport - Mango


Mango targets teenagers and airports



The Spanish brand did not waste any time in 2022 either. In addition to having celebrated a major opening on New York's Fifth Avenue last May, or signed a high-profile collaboration with French-British influencer Camille Charrière, the brand headed by Toni Ruiz has continued to renovate its international flagships in order to install its new Mediterranean-style store concept.

Likewise, after the blow and the restrictions caused by the pandemic, the company once again focused on its travel retail expansion. In addition to its existing spaces in the airports of Seville, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona's El Prat, Mango opened a new point of sale in T4 at Adolfo Suárez Madrid Barajas Airport and is preparing to open a new location at Tenerife Sur-Reina Sofía International Airport.

At the same time, the brand has continued to promote its Teen line with the opening of 11 stores dedicated solely to teenage collections in cities such as Barcelona, Zaragoza, Girona, Bilbao, San Sebastián and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.


New PdPaola store in Fuencarral street, Madrid - PdPaola - LinkedIn


PdePaola's boost in retail



The jewelry company founded in 2014 by siblings Paola and Humbert Sasplugas not only boasts 2000 points of sale in up to 10 international markets, but in recent months has stepped up its retail deployment strategy with the goal of closing the 2022 fiscal year with sales of 52 million euros, as announced by the brand in an interview with FashionNetwork.com last May. As a result, the brand has opened stores in cities such as Seville and Bilbao, in addition to having set up its second store in Madrid.

The new location, located at number 8 of the popular Fuencarral street, joins the other space with which the company operates in the capital at number 44 of the luxurious Claudio Coello street.

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