Premium German kitchen brand next125 has officially opened its latest Concept Store, next125 Waterford, which marks the first showroom of its kind in Ireland.
The new showroom was opened in partnership with retailer Evoke Kitchens, who has worked with Schüller and next125 since 2017.
The new next125 joins Evoke’s existing showroom, which occupies two floors of the building. A newly acquired third floor, measuring approximately 250 sq m, has been transformed into an immersive next125 environment featuring six kitchens across 10 individual design areas.
“Over the years, next125 has got to know not just us, but the way the whole Evoke business operates,” said Declan Furlong, managing director of Evoke Kitchens. “There’s a level of trust that has developed over time, from the way we design and present kitchens through to installation and the relationships we build with our customers.
“next125 Waterford is a new extension to our offer. Customers are getting access to an international design brand but with a very local relationship and the Evoke team behind the design, delivery, installation and ongoing service.”
next125 says Waterford was deliberately chosen as the location for the dedicated Concept Store, despite Dublin potentially being viewed as the more obvious choice for an Irish flagship. Evoke believes its existing customer base, which extends from Dublin and the Midlands through to Cork, demonstrates the potential of Waterford as a national design destination.
“next125 had confidence in Evoke, and we had confidence in Waterford as a destination,” says Declan. “We’ve spent 12 years building our business here and already work with customers from a wide area, from Dublin and the Midlands through to Cork. We didn’t see any reason why a design destination of this calibre had to be in the capital. The ambition now is building a national presence. We want to give customers, architects and interior designers from across Ireland a reason to come to Waterford to experience next125 in a new environment.”
The showroom was developed collaboratively by Evoke and next125’s German design team, with the customer journey moving from the existing showroom through a dedicated next125 entrance and into the new space.
“The way you move through the space is very important,” added Tony O’Brien of Evoke Kitchens. “It is designed as a journey, with each kitchen having its own identity as it is gradually revealed. We wanted enough difference between the displays to show the breadth of what next125 can do. There are natural timbers, veneers and lighter earthy tones, but also stronger colours and some of the more statement-led finishes.”
Robert Kettenbach, global brand director at next125, said: “The next125 Concept Store model is built around strong partnerships with independent retailers who understand both their market and the values of our brand. Evoke has demonstrated that consistently over many years. next125 Waterford combines an international brand environment with the knowledge, experience and personal relationships of an established local business. We are delighted to take this next step together and to bring the Concept Store experience to Ireland.”
The opening of next125 Waterford comes after the launch of the brand’s first UK Concept Store in Glasgow last year, which was then closely followed by the opening of next125 South Lakes in April of this year.