The UK’s second-largest beauty and health retailer Superdrug provides a range of beauty and health services for everyday use across its 830 stores. As well as offering a selection of products from best-loved brands, Superdrug’s ‘Beauty Studios’ offer customers the best of affordable beauty treatments on the high street.
It’s more important than ever that bricks-and-mortar stores go above and beyond for consumers with in-person services they simply can’t get online as retail becomes more and more online-based.
McLennan Group are proud to have been one of the main contractors involved in the updating of the Glasgow-based Superdrug retail store.
Leading the way with the return of retail at the back end of 2020, the Superdrug Silverburn project began by amalgamating the space with the neighbouring unit to extend the store and form the new Beauty Studio.
The new retail unit enables customers to enjoy a plethora of professional treatments on offer in a stylish new store complete with a purpose built room dedicated to waxing and tanning. Dedicated wet, styling and barbering stations were also erected, plus, nail and pedi bars including an acrylic table.
The existing eyebrow threading station footprint area was increased and a dedicated reception desk with a waiting area and toilet installed to enable a smoother and more enjoyable consumer experience.
The vision involved providing a modern-makeover complete with applied brick effect treatment on the walls, a glazed wall feature in the beauty zone showcasing the cross bracing of the building structure and groovy new neon signage and LED lighting.
Plus, new fresh air ventilation systems, new contractor panels, new distribution board and sub main as well as upgrades to the fire alarm systems to cover the new area were also required.
Although Superdrug has been trading throughout the pandemic providing essential products and services to the general public, like many, the store has experienced a rather disruptive year for trade. With that, it was of the utmost importance that the store could continue with usual activity throughout the entirety of the project.
The project completely transformed the look and feel of the store in accordance to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.
Planned with precision and spread over a speedy eight-week period, the Superdrug store in Glasgow Silverburn Shopping Centre incurred minimum disruption and was able to be fully trading throughout the period.
Specific jobs, such as installing the new Toshiba Air Conditioning and re-lamping the existing store, were carried out overnight to avoid impacting the day trade. Multiple AC cassettes were installed within the main open salon area as well as wall-mounted units within the nurses room and beauty therapy room. LED lighting was fitted within the beauty services extension as well as emergency lighting. The existing store’s emergency lighting was also upgraded during the evening.
It was also imperative that the new fire alarm systems in the beauty services extension and the existing systems were fully integrated. This potentially life-saving work required new wiring in the smoke detection, void detection, call points and sounders alongside communication with the centre management and Honeywell, the system management for all units within the centre.
The Covid-19 restrictions required the implementation of new necessities in retail such as those that enable social distancing to take place.
A safe shopping experience with additional protective measures throughout the store was therefore created. Beauty Studio treatment stations are now separated with free-standing screens as well as at the points of purchase.
The Superdrug Beauty Studio is now operating and is the largest in the brand’s history. Complete with a bright and appealing look to consumers the refurbishment, upgrades and new additions provide an enhanced shopping experience with new and improved facilities.
The brand new – and first of its kind in Scotland – Beauty Studio created 11 new jobs on top of the existing beauty therapist and nail technician roles already within the store.
The re-launch made headlines as Love Island stars Alex and Olivia Bowen headed to the grand opening alongside Store Manager, Katrina Quinn and Beauty Studio Manager, Heather Freer and both the Retail & Beauty Studio teams.
We’re sure customers are going to love the new store and we loved being a part of the team that helped modernise the store to Superdrug’s fantastic high standards.
