Waterstones returns to Oxford Street after eight years

Waterstones is returning to Oxford Street eight years after it closed its last remaining store on the iconic central London shopping strip.

A new Waterstones bookshop will open within the John Lewis & Partners’ central London flagship store on 8th October. 

Kate Skipper, chief operating officer at Waterstones, said: “We are thrilled to be working with John Lewis on this exciting new partnership and delighted to be returning to Oxford Street this Autumn.  

“Waterstones at John Lewis Oxford Street will be an extensively ranged bookshop sited within this iconic flagship department store, perfect for browsing and a hub for author signings, with our booksellers on hand to offer expert customer guidance. We can’t wait to open our doors on Tuesday 8th October.”  

At one point, Waterstones had four bookshops on Oxford Street, the last of which closed in 2016. 

The new bookshop will be on the second floor of the John Lewis department store on Oxford Street, alongside the café.  

Katie Papakonstantinou, director of services and hospitality for John Lewis, said: “We’re delighted to join hands with Waterstones, whose values and customer base are highly aligned with ours. 

John Lewis Oxford Street will offer a selection of nearly 20,000 books, including non-fiction, fiction and children’s books.

Luke Scott, bookshop manager at the new Waterstones at John Lewis Oxford Street, said: “We are extremely excited to announce the opening of a brand-new Waterstones in collaboration with John Lewis in their flagship store on Oxford Street. Our team can’t wait to bring our passion for bookselling to one of the world’s most popular shopping destinations and to share an exciting world of reading with our future customers.”