As City of London rebounds, Cubitts opens on Cheapside

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Apr 5, 2022

Fashion eyewear maker/retailer Cubitts has opened a store in Cheapside, in the heart of the City of London. It becomes the brand’s 13th UK store.

The opening reflects the rebound being seen in stores in the historic financial district as shoppers return now that more people are working in their offices again.

It occupies the former home of historic hosiers, glovers and shirtmakers L&R Wooderson, which operated from 123 Cheapside for over half a century. And to maintain the history of the site, Cubitts has incorporated many of the original features into its design.

During the renovation, the new owner revealed and maintained the original L&R Wooderson signage, which is now back on display alongside an entire basement, untouched and uncovered for decades. 

The store’s design, curated by Alexy Kos and Che Huang of London-based Child Studio, takes on a modernist interpretation of the original classic English outfitter.

Cubitts Cheapside is complete with bespoke display cabinetry, conical glass wall lights, and hand-painted marble texturing created by artist Ian Harper.

Utilising Modernist architectural principles from the 1910s, the parquet flooring has been repurposed from a 1930s school in Leicester, and vintage marquetry panels have been fitted around the newly restored cast iron spiral staircase.

An original tapestry from the 1951 Festival of Britain and historic photos of the sites also adorn the pale pink walls.

Prior to L&R Wooderson, the site was also home to a publisher of political cartoons and prints, from 1828 to 1835. So Cubitts has also partnered with Cartoon Museum to celebrate this cartoonists’ legacy. 

The Cartoon Museum will curate a selection of four framed facsimile artworks to be displayed in the Cheapside store. Further artworks will be displayed throughout the store more permanently.

Incorporated into the design, the store also houses Cubitts’ eye examination facilities, incorporating the latest testing equipment.

To mark its opening, Cubitts has created two exclusive frames, inspired by the spirit of the City called Gresham and Cannon. For a limited period, all Cheapside Bespoke customers will also receive a complimentary monogrammed redux case and handmade redux card holder. 

Tom Broughton, founder of Cubitts said: “With each store we open, we ensure the area’s culture and history is incorporated into the selection and design process. With Cheapside, the building’s history tells its own story and we’re delighted to sit amongst a fascinating carousel of dwellers and be part of its timeline.” 

He added: “Offering the City’s inhabitants and workers well designed spectacles has never been so important. With eye health worsening throughout the pandemic, we aim to provide quality eye care, as well as carefully crafted frames that people are proud to wear at work and beyond.”