Bath & Body Works is continuing its UK store expansion with plans to open a new standalone shop at Merry Hill shopping centre in the West Midlands.
The US beauty and fragrance giant will take a 1,270sq ft unit at the destination, building on its existing presence at Merry Hill through a concession inside Next.
The standalone store, located opposite The Body Shop and Holland & Barrett, will stock a wider selection of Bath & Body Works’ fragrance-led bodycare, home fragrance, gifting and seasonal ranges.
A Bath & Body Works spokesperson said the move followed the success of its Next concession at the centre and described a standalone location as the “natural next step” for the brand.
The opening comes as Bath & Body Works steps up its bricks-and-mortar expansion across the UK under its partnership with Next.
Next, which is Bath & Body Works’ exclusive UK and Ireland partner, said earlier this year that it planned to open five standalone stores for the beauty brand during the year to January 2027.
Bath & Body Works is also preparing to open new locations in Nottingham and at Cribbs Mall in Bristol, while its existing UK estate includes stores at destinations such as Birmingham’s Bullring, Manchester Arndale, Liverpool One, Bluewater and London’s Oxford Street.
The Merry Hill opening will further bolster the shopping centre’s growing health and beauty offer, which already includes Boots, Rituals, Lush and Superdrug.
Superdrug is also preparing to fully reopen its Merry Hill shop following an extensive refurbishment and expansion that has almost doubled the size of the store.
Merry Hill owner and operator Redical leasing manager Alistair Winning said: “The addition of a standalone Bath & Body Works to Merry Hill is a strong endorsement of both the desirability of the destination and its continued relevance as the go-to destination for the West Midlands and the surrounding catchment.”
He added that health and beauty remained a “key category” for shoppers at the centre, with Bath & Body Works expected to further strengthen its offer.
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