Swedish outdoor brand picks Manchester for first UK store

Outdoor clothing and equipment brand Fjӓllrӓven is coming to Manchester.

The Swedish company will launch a new store, its first in the UK, at The Royal Exchange building.

Operating in partnership with stockist The Sporting Lodge, the 2,129 sq ft shop will present Fjӓllrӓven’s full product range within a Scandinavian-manufactured wooden internal layout.

Real estate firm Hines, the firm behind the Grade II-listed property, signed the company on a 10-year lease. Metis Real Estate advised Hines on the deal.

The director of retail management for Hines UK, Sharon Bloodworth, said: “This is great news for Manchester and we are extremely pleased that Fjӓllrӓven has chosen The Royal Exchange as the location for its first UK store.

“Having recently announced the openings of Watches of Switzerland and new premium menswear store Lanigan & Hulme, along with the imminent opening of French Connection’s first new concept store for the UK, the addition of Fjӓllrӓven is a further step forwards in our strategy to reposition the building to be a premium retail destination for the city centre.”

Fjӓllrӓven UK managing director Ralph White commented: “We are absolutely delighted to be opening our first brand store and feel that the impressive and vibrant location of Old Bank Street at The Royal Exchange, Manchester is the perfect setting.

“We hope that opening this new shop will provide a huge boost to our ongoing efforts to build Fjӓllrӓven’s brand presence here in the UK, benefiting our existing retailers and also the loyal following of both urban and outdoor consumers we feel very lucky to have cheering us on.”

The Fjӓllrӓven store will open this Thursday (November 16).