Jack Wills to open off Grafton Street

The British alternative to Abercrombie and Fitch is to open in the former Berry Bros Rudd outlet on Harry Street

THE POPULAR British lifestyle clothing brand Jack Wills is to open its first overseas high street store in the former Berry Bros Rudd wine shop on Harry Street, just off Dublin’s Grafton Street.

The expensive clothing brand is primarily targeted at university students and is widely promoted as the British alternative to Abercrombie and Fitch.

News of the decision by Jack Wills to settle for a location close to Grafton Street will be widely welcomed by Grafton Street landlords who have taken a drubbing in the past year over the downgrading of many of the smaller shops, excessive rents and the large number of vacant units on the street. It is estimated that at least 20 per cent of the stores are over-rented and, though there is a general willingness in the city to discount rents where traders have run into difficulties, financial institutions owning many of the buildings on Grafton Street have been reluctant to budge.

Berry Bros Rudd availed of a 10-year break option earlier this year to surrender its lease of the Harry Street premises which was formerly used as a weights and measures office.

Jack Wills will be paying €235,000 per annum, the same rent level paid by Berry Bros since 2004. Its new 20-year lease also allows it to opt out after 10 years. The building has a floor area of 283sq m (3,046sq ft) over three levels.

The decision by the fashion chain to settle for the somewhat quirky building opposite the Westbury Hotel is in line with company policy of seeking out older buildings of character which have been converted to become fashion shops.

The company also has a preference for city areas noted for their Bohemian atmosphere. Two of the firm’s five London stores are located in Notting Hill and Chelsea. The company was founded in 1999 and opened its 31st store earlier this month in Aberdeen. It opened a store at Kildare Village, a discount shopping village, earlier this year.

Michael Harrington of Dublin commercial agent HWBC, who along with Savills UK acted for Jack Wills, said the arrival of the trader would be a major boost for the Grafton Street area and showed that, despite the challenging times, there was still demand from international retailers. Keiron Diamond of Knight Frank acted for the owner of the building.

Harry Street was the company’s second choice in Dublin. It originally planned to trade out of two adjoining buildings at 34/35 Wicklow Street but, in spite of a new strategy by city planners to encourage the amalgamation of some of the smaller retail buildings in the city centre, the planning appeals board refused permission for the new enlarged store.

The Jack Wills website says that its clothing is given “public school and preppy branding” while its pricing strategy means that the clothes may not be considered affordable to everyone. The clothes and accessories are marketed as classically British in style and inspired by traditional heritage.