For decades, Boots Opticians’ Wigmore Street store has been one of the brand’s most significant locations. Occupying a landmark Grade II listed building in London’s West End, the store traces its history back to Theodore Hamblin, before becoming the Boots Opticians flagship.

Boots set out to transform the store into a new premium destination that reflected both its heritage and its prestigious location. Working alongside retail design specialists we.are.sdi, the ambition was to create a more luxurious customer experience that could help shape the future direction of the wider Boots Opticians estate. The completed store combines heritage-inspired interiors with specialist clinical spaces, premium eyewear brands and enhanced customer services.

Appointed as delivery architects, we worked closely with Boots, we.are.sdi and the wider project team to translate the design vision into a buildable, compliant and deliverable scheme.

Working within a prominent listed building demanded careful technical coordination and attention to detail throughout. We challenged and refined proposals where needed, ensuring bespoke joinery, specialist fittings and heritage constraints could all be successfully integrated without compromising the design intent.

Our role centred on bringing together the many consultants, contractors and stakeholders involved, maintaining quality, resolving technical challenges and keeping the project moving at pace to meet an ambitious programme.

The completed flagship delivers a customer experience that feels distinctly different from a traditional opticians. Heritage features sit comfortably alongside contemporary retail environments, creating a premium destination that reflects the significance of both the building and the Boots Opticians brand.

Beyond delivering a successful refurbishment, the project establishes a new retail format that is expected to influence future Boots Opticians locations, demonstrating how thoughtful technical delivery and close collaboration can help turn ambitious retail concepts into operational reality.