The jewellery and accessories chain Claire's is poised to make a comeback on UK high streets, with approximately 50 stores expected to reopen from June onwards. The revival is being orchestrated by Julien Jarjoura, the French entrepreneur behind jewellery company Une Ligne, who already operates Claire's stores in France, Austria, Portugal, and Spain.
Jarjoura revealed that he has secured the blessing of Claire's US owner, Ames Watson, to open outlets in the UK and is currently signing new leases with landlords. This development comes just days after the chain shuttered its final UK stores, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 jobs and ending a three-decade presence on British high streets.
Plans for Revival
Jarjoura expressed his sadness at the brand's decline, stating, 'The brand was basically dead and we're bringing it back to life.' He aims to reopen four to ten stores weekly from June, emphasising that Claire's is 'extremely famous in the UK' and that its disappearance would be a significant loss.
The entrepreneur attributes the brand's previous struggles to a lack of investment in stores and products that were not tailored to the UK market, as well as over-reliance on heavy discounting. To counter this, he plans to revamp stores, continue ear-piercing services, and introduce new jewellery and accessories priced from £1.90 to over £100.
Brand Repositioning
'There will definitely be some brand repositioning,' Jarjoura said. 'We are not a discount store but we like to sell stuff at a fair price.' He acknowledges that the Claire's brand has been damaged in the UK and that regaining customer trust, especially those accustomed to aggressive discounts like 'buy three get four' offers, will take time.
Jarjoura, who already runs about 240 Claire's stores across Europe, has hired some of the chain's former UK executives. He expects to maintain some of its 356 UK concessions but has not taken over the Birmingham head office or purchased old stock from administrators Kroll.
Financial Outlook
The UK business will be debt-free, as Jarjoura is self-funding the venture and does not anticipate immediate profitability. 'We need to invest in the business,' he said. 'We are not unrealistic in terms of getting benefits from this company for three to five years.'
Despite industry concerns over business rates and employment costs, Jarjoura remains undeterred. 'Nothing is easy but you can't always be blaming someone else for your own faults,' he remarked.
Claire's was founded in Chicago in 1961 and entered the UK market in 1996 through the acquisition of accessories chain Bow Jangles. It became a beloved staple of UK high streets, particularly popular among teenagers and tweens, but recently struggled amid fierce competition and underinvestment. The UK arm's difficulties escalated in August last year when Claire's US and Canadian operations filed for bankruptcy for the second time in seven years.
Ames Watson has been approached for comment.
