JD Sports set for a summer upsize in Birmingham

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Sep 9, 2022

In a big show of support for Birmingham and confidence in the future of retail in general, JD Sports is to double the size of its flagship store in the Bullring & Grand Central mall.

Landlord Hammerson said the move was “a clear signal of the destination’s strength as well as a firm commitment to Birmingham as a thriving city”. 

JD Sports, which has been at Bullring since 2003, will open a 27,500 sq ft store on the lower level. The new store will stock even more ranges from brands such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, and Converse, covering footwear, fashion, and accessories. It is set to open in summer 2023, creating more than 40 new jobs at Bullring & Grand Central. 

James Air, Head of Group Acquisitions at JD, added: “We have always been really pleased with how much our customers love JD in Birmingham. I have no doubt that our new Bullring store will be one of the very best regional flagships in the country.”

Amid an evolving retail landscape, Bullring & Grand Central “has continued to attract household names as well as young, cool digitally native brands, while repurposing legacy space with innovative new concepts including entertainment”. 

Toby Tait, Director Asset Management at Hammerson, added: “JD Sports more than doubling the size of its store is a clear indication of the confidence brands have in Bullring as Birmingham’s premier retail and leisure destination. The work we do to drive customer engagement through events, pop-ups and collaborations gives brands confidence to continue to invest in this key national destination, maintaining and growing our relevance as customer habits change.”

Last November, it was announced that M&S and entertainment centre TOCA Social would take over the former Debenhams department store site that had been empty since its closure in May 2021. Meanwhile, JD's designer fashion brand Tessuti will open its largest offer in the West Midlands at The Bullring in 2023.