Joy Plans For Revamp

Urban lifestyle retailer Joy has commissioned designers SHH to revamp its interiors concept as it prepares to expand outside London. Joy, currently with six stores in the capital, opens the first of its next-generation stores this month in Manchester at The Triangle Shopping Centre, with openings planned for early 2005 in Leeds and Birmingham.

Joy targets a young adult audience – mostly female, in the 25-35 range. Head buyer and co-founder Maureen O’Brien, describes Joy’s ideal customer as “a ‘Bridget Jones’ type character who is perpetually 29.” The stores sell cutting-edge clothes along with vintage, retro and quirky fashion, homewares and lifestyle accessories.

SHH creative director Neil Hogan said: “‘Because of the very tight timeframe, Manchester will feature much that is new but also some evolution from the existing Joy concept. Further development of the concept will occur as each store opens.

“Above all we are looking to bring increased theatre, colour and drama to a brand which is bursting with life and attitude. We shall be adding some tongue-in-cheek ‘bling’ to the rather bare and naked existing concept, along with a little more retail logic in terms of circulation, signage and display.”