Premium German kitchen brand next125 has now opened its first official concept store in the UK, which has been created in partnership with independent retail studio Gideon Robinson.
Located on Glasgow’s Great Western Road, the opening of the UK’s first dedicated concept store follows successful launches of similar stores in countries like Germany, Austria and China. Next125 – which is a brand owned by Schüller – says it now has 12 concept stores worldwide, with the UK location being the first to open west of Germany.
The concept store is designed to be a way for consumers to “experience the next125 brand in its purest form”, according to the company. Visitors to the space are able to explore several next125 kitchens, including a showstopper display of the brand’s mirrored “Fireplace” kitchen, designed in collaboration with renowned German architect, Francis Kéré.
Gideon Robinson has been a well-known kitchen retailer in Scotland for more than 20 years. The owner of the eponymous retailer says that partnering with next125 to open its first UK concept store was a natural evolution for his business, especially after working with the company since 2013. Following the opening of the concept store, Robinson has predicted the partnership with next125 could double his turnover within the next three years.
The concept store was soft-launched around a month ago, but will be officially opening to the public later today.
“We’ve worked hand-in-hand with the next125 team, combining our expertise, insights and shared commitment to design excellence to create a stunning new retail experience,” commented Gideon Robinson.
He continued: “We recognise the importance of supporting the brand and allowing the brand to support us. There’s a lot of trust and it’s been a truly collaborative partnership.”
Explaining why he chose to partner with the brand, Robinson said: “Conditions are challenging, but the independent kitchen market is resilient – especially at the upper end of the market. Now is the right time to make this move to ensure we’re best placed to meet customer demand when the economy picks up. It’s a bold move but when you see an opportunity, you have to grasp it. You need to continually invest in your studio, or you risk falling behind. While our competitors are pulling back, we’re making significant investment in our studio.”
In other news, InHouse Inspired Room Design, which has been Schüller’s and next125’s UK sales agent since 2003, announced earlier this year that it had appointed Stuart Dance as its new managing director. InHouse was acquired fully by Schüller back in March 2023.