Chapel Down pops up in Bluewater

Landsec has announced that Kent based winemaker, Chapel Down, has selected Bluewater, Europe’s leading retail and leisure destination, for its first seasonal pop-up store.

The 1,990 sq ft store, located on the upper Guildhall, launched on November 3 and is open to December 31.  Chapel Down is showcasing its complete range of wines, beers and spirits in the pop-up, as well as stocking exclusive products, such as Magnum and Jeroboam bottles, and a range of gift experiences.

In keeping with Bluewater’s commitment to providing a unique experience, the store is also hosting daily tastings and in-store food matching events for guests to learn about their  sparkling and still wines, premium beer and spirits.

To celebrate the festive season, the store designer, Katy Quorn, has created bespoke window displays made up of Chapel Down wine bottles with large Christmas baubles created from corks.  In a nod to the brand’s winemaking origins, materials such as oak and steel have been incorporated throughout the design.

The Chapel Down pop-up at Bluewater is the winemaker’s first in a dedicated retail and leisure location, in addition to their popular winery shop in Tenterden.

Adding to the immersive experiences at Bluewater this Christmas is ‘Porsche Life’, a new 6,740 sq ft pop-up concept store, which launched November 3.  Open until January 8 2018, located on the lower Thames Walk adjacent to House of Fraser, ‘Porsche Life’ is the largest store the brand has opened in the UK.  The concept takes guests on an interactive experience spanning the breadth of the renowned car manufacturer’s past, present and future.  The store offers insights into key models, including the iconic 911, and also hints at the exciting future direction of the company with Mission E, an all-electric four-seat Porsche due to enter production by 2020. The new Panamera Turbo Sport Tourismo and 911 Carrera 4 GTS British Legends Edition are the two models in-store for guests to explore first hand.

Heinz Kloihofer, Bluewater’s Mall leasing manager, commented on the seasonal pop-ups: “The diversity of the seasonal stores this year is testament to the success brands achieve at Bluewater and highlight its reputation as a leading retail and leisure destination. We are pleased to be supporting Chapel Down as a local brand by hosting their debut stand-alone store.  Combined with luxury retailer, Porsche, we are providing guests with unique and experiential opportunities to enjoy this Christmas.”

Guy Tresnan, sales & marketing director at Chapel Down, added: “We are delighted to be able to bring the very best of English winemaking to Bluewater.  We invite guests to come along and taste some of our wines and beers and learn about our exciting business that is based in the heart of Kent.  We are offering some perfect Christmas gift ideas at all price levels.”

This news follows the recent openings of international brand Coach and the UK debut for jewellery specialists Alex and Ani. Later this month, American luxury accessory and lifestyle brand, kate spade, is set to open on Bluewater’s lower Guildhall.

Bluewater, Chapel Down and Porsche dealt direct.