Smeg opens flagship London store

Premium Italian appliance brand Smeg has opened a flagship store in central London.

Located at 14 Regent Street, St James’s, – between Piccadilly and Pall Mall – the 6,400 square-foot, open-plan shop is split over three floors and features more than 300 Smeg products.

On the ground floor is a retail space, which focuses on Smeg’s small and large appliances, including the Portofino and Victoria range cookers.

There’s also an area dedicated to selling family produce from Montecoppe – the Italian farm owned by Smeg. Shoppers can purchase Parmesan cheeses, balsamic vinegars and wines that are exclusively available in-store.

On the ground floor, there’s also a floor-to-ceiling ‘living wall’ of green foliage, while the mezzanine level has a design lounge and meeting space and limited edition FAB fridges are visible from street level. In the basement there’s a purpose-built theatre for cooking demonstrations.

Vittorio Bertazzoni
Smeg CEO Vittorio Bertazzoni

The London store forms part of a £10 million investment by Smeg, which also includes a new headquarters and showroom in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Speaking exclusively to kbbreview, Smeg chief executive Vittorio Bertazzoni said: “We are not a retailer – our intention is not to be a retailer – we don’t have a strategy to open 200 stores in the next couple of years. This is something that is more of a brand exercise, but of course we’re going to sell through the showroom – that’s obvious – but we feel that we need showrooms around the world to properly display all of our products. We have a huge Smeg catalogue – one of the biggest in the industry.”

He added: “I see the opening of this showroom as a big opportunity for everyone who loves Smeg and who trades with Smeg. It’s going to really help the brand image and profile to grow even more.”

Smeg UK’s managing director Mike Giddings told kbbreview: “Raising our profile in this way will benefit all our UK trading partners – big and small and countrywide. It is a permanent billboard in one of the most iconic locations in the world.”

  • Look out for an exclusive in-depth interview with Smeg chief executive Vittorio Bertazzoni in the October issue of kbbreview.
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