An iconic Oxford retailer has been reimagined as a luxury lifestyle hotel, four years after its closure.
Boswells permanently shut its doors in 2020 after more than 250 years in business, citing ‘adverse retail conditions’ as the primary reason for its closure. Plans to convert the premises into a boutique hotel were approved by Oxford City Council in 2021, and on Tuesday, the building was officially re-opened to the public.
Situated on Broad Street, The Store is a modern hotel that pays homage to its department store roots by offering clients an experience of ‘intrigue, unexpected fun and curiosity’.
The restored property has 101 guest rooms across seven floors, three dining spaces and two bars, including a rooftop lounge with outdoor seating and views of the historic city. A spa offering treatments from British brand Oskia as well as a sauna, steam room and a studio space, can be found on the ground floor.
The Store’s signature restaurant, Treadwell, serves up ‘untraditional’ British cuisine with global influences to reflect the city’s multicultural scene. Named after the ‘Treadwell Passage’ off Cornmarket Street, the modern eatery experiments with local, sustainable produce.
The Store’s guest rooms have six different design typologies, all courtesy of Urban R. Reef Group, to cater to different tastes and needs. Some embrace an art deco aesthetic with contemporary geometric features, red velvet headboards and panelled walls, while others have been furnished to a softer finish, with neutral linens and leafy courtyard views.
A priority for the The Store has been to honour the site’s history, according to general manager Simon Drake.
“Boswells was one of the world’s oldest department stores, family-owned and much-loved by the local community,” he said. “In the tradition of great British department stores, it was a place of discovery - a treasure trove of toys, cosmetics, fashion, household essentials, a haberdashery, well-known tearoom and cafe.”
