Central London has been the most popular location for stores opening this month, with brands wanting to appeal to shoppers in these prime areas.

Personalisation and enhanced service experiences are key trends for brands, from customised gift wrapping to personal shopping. We are also seeing brands use visible craft and material displays to engage customers and encourage them to see the work that goes into making items, and therefore see the value in purchasing them.

Tailoring stores to local environments is also another brand staple. Some brands are building this into designs and displays, while others are looking at collaborations with local brands.

Finally, we have a store engaging in some ‘90s nostalgia, hoping to appeal both to Millennial customers who remember it first-hand, and Gen Z shoppers who are interested in ‘90s trends.

Take a look at the best new retail we found in London in April.

Image credit – Sleep.8

Sleep.8, Camden

Mattress and sleep brand Sleep.8 launched its new flagship store in Tottenham Court Road, in advance of World Sleep Day.

The store includes a number of interactive elements to allow customers to fully explore the brand’s sleep product range. This includes display cabinets to educate customers on how the different materials used in mattresses contribute to better sleep benefits. Shoppers can also access areas that allow them to test out mattresses with privacy.

Other display areas include the iSense experience, the brand’s smart mattress technology that allows users to adjust the firmness with an app, offering a custom and personal sleep profile.

Visitors to the store will also be able to browse the full Sleep.8 collection of beds, mattresses, technology and luxury brands. This includes ranges from both Grether & Wells and A.H. Beard.

KitKat/Blockbuster pop-up, Soho

Nostalgia will be making an appearance in Soho with a video pop-up courtesy of Blockbuster and KitKat.

From 9-12 April, visitors can visit the pop-up, which recreates the experience of visiting a Blockbuster in the 1990s. They will be able to browse video cases and then choose a film to watch, which can be exchanged at the counter for a Rakuten streaming code.

The campaign has been arranged to launch the new KitKat sharing bars and the brand is giving away a free bar to visitors to the Blockbuster pop-up. It forms part of the brand’s Break Better campaign, which encourages people to connect with each other and not look at their phones.

The store also contains a lounge zone with retro televisions for visitors to relax in.

Søstrene Grene, Oxford Circus

A new flagship from Danish homeware brand Søstrene Grene has arrived in London this month.

The space has dark wood walls juxtaposed light pine fixtures and flooring, and lit with pendant lights. Visitors can find a range of home accessories, such as kitchenware and other accessories on the first floor, whereas the ground floor contains products for children and craft items.

There is also a dedicated scent room for customers to experience the brand’s candle collection, as well as an interactive room that is rotated with new products and installations.

Image credit – Lindt

Lindt, Piccadilly

Chocolate brand Lindt has launched a new flagship in London, opened by Roger Federer.

Visitors to the store are greeted by an impressive construction of the London skyline in truffles, featured in a window display. Inside the store, there are chocolatiers displaying their craft skills and making fresh chocolate.

Customers can choose from a variety of Lindt products including some exclusive items. The location contains the largest truffle pick & mix in the country and a selection of London-themed gifts and tins featuring Tower Bridge and Big Ben. There are also drinks available from a Choco Barista, serving coffee, milkshakes, hot chocolates and ice cream.

Image credit – Gymshark

Gymshark, Westfield White City

Gymwear brand Gymshark has opened a new store in London – its third in the UK.

This opening completes the trio of stores that serve the London area looking to connect with customers in West London. The store design is bright white, with functional fixtures and fittings serving to highlight the wide range of clothing, including collaborations with fitness influencer Whitney Simmons.

The store layout has been customised to reflect the needs of this location, ensuring it is easy to navigate. Personalised shopping experiences and bra fittings are some of the services additionally available to shoppers.

Image credit – Whole Foods

Whole Foods, Chelsea

King’s Road saw the opening of a new store from American supermarket chain Whole Foods.

Customers will find a range of products and fresh produce, including sustainable local seafood at the seafood counter. Local cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy, along with a range of other cheeses are available at the cheesemakers department, which is staffed by trained cheesemongers. At the meat counter, customers can get meat cut to order from butchers, as well as purchase meat from local farms Ashdale and Dingley Dell.

Organic fruit and vegetables also come from local suppliers, including asparagus from Mudwalls Farm, and lettuce from Crate-to-Plate. Old Spike Roastery, XOXO, and Ice Cream Union are other suppliers available in the grocery section.

Visitors can also enjoy food and drinks at the coffee bar, and fresh sushi courtesy of Genji Sushi.