After around three years, Creaseys’ is opening its new retail floors in what was the former-HSBC building on Guernsey’s High Street today.
While work is continuing on the Quay side of the buildings, and on the upper floors, the new women’s wear, handbag, and lingerie sections will be open to the public from 09:15 on 20 September.
While some of those stock areas are temporary and will be reconfigured when all of the work is complete, Managing Director Jonathan Creasey said he is excited about this phase – being called ‘Chapter One’ in the next part of Creaseys’ story.
“It’s phenomenal,” he said. “Honestly, I’ve got goose bumps really walking around and seeing every angle when you look up in the escalator void or on the retail floors. Wherever you look, there’s something you just notice first time and think ‘that’s cool’. When you see it on paper and you understand it on paper, actually seeing it in real life, and then understanding its relationship with everything else around it is really exciting.”
Group Financial Controller, Ben Creasey said this investment is a vote of confidence in the Creasey family business as well as Guernsey.
“It’s really exciting,” he said ahead of today’s opening.
“It’s really, really exciting. It shows confidence in the business, confidence in retail, confidence in the High Street. Creaseys’ has got a long history of investment in Guernsey and investment in the High Street and this is one of those milestone events which has happened almost continuously throughout the 126 year history of the company.”
Ben Creasey joined the family business in April, when the project was more than two years in. He said he never had any doubts that this project was a positive step for the firm and the island.
“We’ve done it for the right reasons, and we’ve no doubt at all that it’s the right decision.
“Creasey’s has always had the purpose of being in it for the long term, in it for future generations, in it for the future of the High Street, the future of Guernsey, the future of the community. So I think, doing something like this just solidifies our place here.”
Both Jonathan and Ben Creasey and Chairman of the company Peter Creasey were overseeing the final touches being put to the public facing areas of the new-look store on Friday afternoon.
Jonathan Creasey said the management and staff are all excited for the new store to open and he hopes customers are pleased when they see it.
“We’re all social animals, and the idea of coming shopping really excites people. And yes, there’s other ways of doing shopping, of course there is. But actually the human interaction, the community elements, the pride in our place on the High Street really plays out in this project. That’s why I’m doing it.”
Work is continuing to redevelop Creaseys’ High Street stores with the new restaurant and other facilities due to open late next year.
It’s hoped the scaffolding on the seafront will come down in the Spring – with the seaward side of the building due to be redecorated next year too.