Metquarter
Encyclopedia
Metquarter is an luxury
shopping centre consisting primarily of boutique stores located in central Liverpool
, England
.
, and was probably the finest post office in the UK, reminiscent of a French chateau. Unfortunately, the building was severely damaged in the May blitz
in 1941, resulting in the demolition of the upper floors. Formerly owned by The Walton Group the site was acquired in 2004 by Milligan (a retail development company that is also linked with Triangle Manchester the retail and leisure operations in Manchester and London Luton Airport
s) and J. W. Kaempfer and Richardson Developments who envisaged to help transform Liverpool city centre into a much more international and contemporary city. Over the space of two years from what was thought to cost £70 million eventually came to a total of £100 million and the former Post Office building was transformed into a 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²) leisure and retail centre. Metquarter was officially opened on March 9, 2006. Following a successful 18-month launch period, Milligan sold Metquarter in August 2007 to Anglo Irish Bank Private Banking and Alanis Capital, the current day owners.
and home to roughly 40 stores and service, Metquarter is the third largest shopping centre in the city, behind Liverpool One and St. John's Shopping Centre
, but ahead of the boutique arcade; Cavern Walks. Metquarter has been called the 'Bond Street
of Liverpool'.
Metquarter is home to the 21000 sq ft (1,951 m²) Flannels
flagship store and is also home to outlets of the following brands: Armani Exchange, Billabong
, Diesel, DKNY Jeans
, Firetrap
, Hugo Boss
, Levi's, Peter Werth
, Sasson Salon
, Timberland
and Tommy Hilfiger
amongst many others. Besides retail outlets in Metquarter there is also a Costa Coffee
, Cafe Rouge
and illy
.
Luxury good
Luxury goods are products and services that are not considered essential and associated with affluence.The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies...
shopping centre consisting primarily of boutique stores located in central Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The current Metquarter building previously served as Liverpool's General Post OfficePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, and was probably the finest post office in the UK, reminiscent of a French chateau. Unfortunately, the building was severely damaged in the May blitz
Liverpool Blitz
The Liverpool Blitz was the heavy and sustained bombing of the British city of Liverpool and its surrounding area, at the time mostly within the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire but commonly known as Merseyside, during the Second World War by the German Luftwaffe.Liverpool, Bootle, and the...
in 1941, resulting in the demolition of the upper floors. Formerly owned by The Walton Group the site was acquired in 2004 by Milligan (a retail development company that is also linked with Triangle Manchester the retail and leisure operations in Manchester and London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway...
s) and J. W. Kaempfer and Richardson Developments who envisaged to help transform Liverpool city centre into a much more international and contemporary city. Over the space of two years from what was thought to cost £70 million eventually came to a total of £100 million and the former Post Office building was transformed into a 160000 sq ft (14,864.5 m²) leisure and retail centre. Metquarter was officially opened on March 9, 2006. Following a successful 18-month launch period, Milligan sold Metquarter in August 2007 to Anglo Irish Bank Private Banking and Alanis Capital, the current day owners.
Stores and services
Located on Whitechapel in Liverpool City CentreLiverpool City Centre
Liverpool city centre is the commercial, cultural, financial and historical heart of Liverpool, England.Unlike many other cities in the United Kingdom, a ring road doesn't distinguish the city centre from the remainder of Liverpool, although an inner ring road of sorts does exist, with the recent...
and home to roughly 40 stores and service, Metquarter is the third largest shopping centre in the city, behind Liverpool One and St. John's Shopping Centre
St. John's Shopping Centre
St John's Shopping Centre is the largest covered shopping centre in the city of Liverpool, located in the heart of the city since 1969 and boasting over 100 retailers...
, but ahead of the boutique arcade; Cavern Walks. Metquarter has been called the 'Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
of Liverpool'.
Metquarter is home to the 21000 sq ft (1,951 m²) Flannels
Flannels Group
The Flannels Group is a chain of independent luxury designer stores, founded by Neil Prosser in 1976. Its stores are mainly based in the north of the United Kingdom : Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, Cheshire and Liverpool.- Brands :...
flagship store and is also home to outlets of the following brands: Armani Exchange, Billabong
Billabong
Billabong is an Australian English word meaning a small lake, specifically an oxbow lake, a section of still water adjacent to a river, cut off by a change in the watercourse. Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end...
, Diesel, DKNY Jeans
DKNY
DKNY is a label of fashion designer Donna Karan. It is also the name of a clothing store in New York City featuring Donna Karan's associated line.-History:...
, Firetrap
Firetrap
Firetrap is a British clothing company, founded in 1991, specialising in premium menswear and accessories. It is the main brand within the WDT company , which also owns its sister brand Fullcircle along with previous brands SC51 and Sonnetti.Firetrap is firmly established internationally and is...
, Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
, Levi's, Peter Werth
Peter Werth
Peter Werth is an upmarket clothing retailer located in the United Kingdom. The brand won FHM's 2002 Brand of the Year and has subsequently expanded into a women's collection, footwear and more. A flagship store has opened in Metquarter, Liverpool in October. 2006...
, Sasson Salon
Vidal Sassoon
Vidal Sassoon, CBE is a widely recognised British hairdresser, credited with creating a simple geometric, "Bauhaus-inspired" hair style, also called the bob...
, Timberland
Timberland
Timberland or variants thereof may refer to:*Timberland, Lincolnshire, a village in Lincolnshire, England*The Timberland Company, manufacturer of outdoor wear*Timberland , a German board game*Timberland Regional Library, a public library system...
and Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
amongst many others. Besides retail outlets in Metquarter there is also a Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse company founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa, as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Since 1995 it has been a subsidiary of Whitbread, since when the company has grown to over...
, Cafe Rouge
Café Rouge
Café Rouge is a French-styled restaurant chain in the UK, offering an all-day serving of main course meals, lighter snacks and salads as well as an extensive wine list. It is part of a bigger restaurant network owned by Tragus Ltd.-History:...
and illy
Illy
illycaffè is a brand of coffee produced in Trieste, Italy.illy produces only one blend in three roast variations: normal, dark roast, and decaffeinated. The blend is packaged as whole beans, pre-ground coffee, E.S.E. pods, or iperEspresso Capsules....
.