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Coal Drops Yard announces opening date and further signings

Lauretta Roberts
18 July 2018

Coal Drops Yard, the new retail and lifestyle district at London's King's Cross, has revealed it will be opening to the public on 26 October and has named a further four brands who will have a presence.

Footwear designer Tracey Neuls, fashion-forward activewear store The Sports Edit, independent concept store S120 and Morty and Bob's, the London eatery famous for its grilled cheese sandwiches, have all joined the eclectic retail and dining line-up.

Some 50 stores, restaurants and cafes will be located at the Heatherwick Studio-designed destination, which is set in a former Victorian coal drop yard, adjacent to Granary Square and the Regent's Canal. The development takes advantage of the original architecture with many stores located in distinctive canal-side arches.

The retail and dining mix has been hand selected with a focus in independent, craft and niche brands. The latest names will join a line-up that already includes Paul Smith, Cubitts, Lost Property of London, Cheaney, Form + Thread, Emin & Paul and Tom Dixon.

Larger statement stores sit at each street corner, with one dual-aspect space crowning the street, located directly beneath Heatherwick Studio’s striking "kissing" rooftops (pictured above). Lower Stable Street, a sunken street between Coal Drops Yard and Stable Street, will also open this October, offering spaces for a range of smaller pop-up and experimental stores.

Brands are being encouraged to personalise their stores as much as possible and the Tracey Neuls' store will be no exception. Known for her stores curated as galleries, the designer will create a store heavily inspired by Coal Drops Yard’s history. From hanging shoe displays to hosting collaborations with other like-minded creatives, Neuls’ stores are designed to create a thought provoking shopping experience. The Coal Drops Yards store will continue the trend, along with a specially designed ‘Bagley’s’ shoe in honour of the iconic London nightclub of the same name, previously located on the site.

With so much sameness in the world, we enjoy offering a different viewpoint from shoes to shop,” said Neuls. “Coals Drop Yard’s history and mix of old and new was very appealing and a natural match for us. We are always challenging the norm and will continue exploring the different feelings that a retail space can evoke, developing a unique and inspirational venue in keeping with our personality.”

The Sports Edit store will offer a curated selection of the most stylish, innovative sportswear from across the world, as well as offering seasonal events and fitness workshops for the local community. "Coal Drops Yard goes one step further to place Kings Cross as the ultimate London destination to visit and enjoy, and we can't wait to be part of this exceptional development," said founder Nick Paulson-Ellis.

S120 will present a range of fashion, lifestyle and homeware products in what will be its second London store (its first store is in Islington), while Morty and Bob's will offer its signature brunches and lunches but will also create a new evening hang-out.

Designer Thomas Heatherwick said of the major project: “My studio has been based in King’s Cross for over 17 years, so it’s been an enormous privilege to reinvent such a locally significant site. These extraordinary buildings were first built in 1850 and have lived an unusually rich past, first serving as infrastructure, then warehousing and offices. To most people, they are famous for having hosted nightclubs for over a decade. We believed there was an opportunity to celebrate the heritage of the existing structures rather than destroy them.

"As the opening approaches, we’re all looking forward to seeing how Coal Drops Yard can not only serve as an unusual place for shopping and eating but also become a destination in its own right; a special new space that the public can make their own.”

Craig White, Senior Project Director at Argent, added: We are delighted to be able to announce the official opening date of Coal Drops Yard. We have set out to foster a community of shopkeepers and restauranteurs that are connected by a commitment to quality, craft and innovation. This is very much now taking shape, with the four exciting new signings today very much displaying these qualities. With over 50 new stores, each an experience, and all set in the heart of King’s Cross, the opening of Coal Drops Yard will be like nothing else.”

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