Mailbox experience could be a catalyst for ‘Design Quarter’
THE man behind the transformation of the Mailbox says its remodelling as an “experience” destination for shoppers will pay huge dividends for the renaissance of Birmingham.
The six-year project to transform Birmingham’s landmark Mailbox building recently reached a milestone with the launch of a new 21,000 sq ft homewares section.
Simon Samuels, a partner at Brockton Capital, has been the driving force behind the project.
Brockton, along with Mailbox coowners Milligan, has spent more than £50 million transforming the building after a joint purchase in 2011.
The Mailbox now has a roof and lounge area, premium office spaces and a remodelled BBC reception.
Office tenants also include Associated Architects and software provider Advanced.
Its illustrious roster of businesses, restaurants and boutiques now includes homeware retailers Made. com and Heal’s.
The two showrooms connect with other homeware retailers new to the city, BoConcept, Wesley Barrell, Calligaris and The Design Quarter.
“We buy assets that are fundamentally great but just need more capital and a few ideas to fix them,” said Mr Samuels, who has been with Brockton Capital since 2008 and has 24 years of retail and real estate experience.
“We literally took this building apart and put it back together again. To see this work come to fruition is a wonderful thing.
“I’ve been on this project personally for six years and this is very exciting.”
Mr Samuels said the Mailbox’s homewares section was 18 months in the making and part strategy to reposition choice.
“This has been in the planning for quite some time, with homewares at its heart,” he said.
“We found products and brands that weren’t represented in Birmingham or the Midlands and saw an opportunity there, but we also thought about how changing consumer habits and bricks and mortar competes with online retail these days. of a wider its retail
“Having identified the gap in the market for homewares and furniture, we also realised these are very tangible products, things people want to go and see to prod and sit on.
“Ribble Cycles is a great example of this emerging theme with what started life as a 100 per cent online business, and has now moved into bricks and mortar retail.
“Made.com, also entirely online until a couple of years ago, has fol- lowed a similar path and launched several physical stores. “These are showrooms. If people convert a sale here, that’s great. But if these stores help to crystallise a decision and people buy online later, that’s a sale. Anything we can do to help facilitate that is great as all our interests are aligned. “We are now in the experience economy. If we can make visiting the Mailbox a really great day out and a pleasant experience, I’ll be happy.” Mr Samuels added: “The city is expanding and inching westwards and everything we’ve done here is with a line of sight to what’s coming down the track in the city centre. I like the idea of the Mailbox becoming a ‘Design Quarter’, not just for the city centre, but the wider West Midlands region as a whole. “With the broader investment and big corporates looking at Birmingham, this is really helping to reposition the city.”