Liverpool has firmly established itself as a prime destination for international retail and leisure brands, attracting major companies to launch their largest global venues within the city. This trend highlights the city's growing economic appeal and its reputation as a key market for consumer-facing businesses. Companies from diverse sectors, including cosmetics, entertainment, and fashion, have chosen Liverpool to house their flagship locations.
This strategic selection by global corporations reflects confidence in the city's vibrant consumer base and its ability to support large-scale commercial operations. From sprawling entertainment complexes to expansive retail stores, these venues not only enhance the local landscape but also create significant employment opportunities and draw visitors from across the region and beyond.
Key Takeaways
- Liverpool is a chosen location for several global brands to open their largest worldwide or UK flagship stores.
- Major names include Lush, Gravity MAX, and Hooters, each operating their biggest venue in the city.
- The trend spans various sectors, including entertainment, hospitality, retail, and collectibles.
- These large-scale investments often involve redeveloping significant city-centre properties, such as the former Debenhams and Newz Bar sites.
- The official Liverpool FC store at Anfield is also the largest of its kind in the world, reflecting the club's global brand power.
Entertainment and Hospitality Giants Make Their Mark
The city's leisure and hospitality scene has seen some of the most significant investments, with brands creating large-scale destinations designed for immersive experiences. These venues combine multiple offerings under one roof, catering to a wide range of tastes.
Gravity MAX: A 100,000 sq ft Entertainment Hub
One of the most prominent examples is Gravity MAX, which opened its largest-ever venue in Liverpool ONE. Occupying the vast 100,000 square-foot space of the former Debenhams building on Chavasse Park, this facility has become a major entertainment anchor for the shopping district.
The complex offers a diverse array of activities, including a multi-level e-karting track, virtual reality experiences, and interactive games. Beyond the activities, it functions as a comprehensive social destination with a food hall, multiple bars, and a large rooftop terrace providing views across the city. According to company statements, the Liverpool site was designed to be their flagship entertainment centre in the UK.
Did You Know?
The Gravity MAX venue is one of the largest active entertainment centres in the country, repurposing a significant retail space and demonstrating a shift in how city-centre property is utilized.
Hooters: The World's Biggest Sports Bar
In 2022, the American sports bar chain Hooters opened its largest location anywhere in the world on Water Street. The venue took over the historic New Zealand House, a site previously home to the well-known Newz Bar.
Spanning two levels, the restaurant and bar can accommodate up to 300 guests. It is equipped with numerous large-screen televisions for broadcasting live sports, a key element of the brand's appeal. The menu features its famous chicken wings, and the venue maintains the brand's signature service style. This opening marked a significant international investment in Liverpool's hospitality sector.
Retail and Fashion Flagships Dominate the High Street
Liverpool's reputation as a shopping destination is bolstered by retailers choosing the city for their most ambitious stores. These flagships often serve as experiential hubs, going beyond traditional retail to offer unique services and product ranges.
Lush: A Global Cosmetics Destination
In 2019, cosmetics retailer Lush relocated from its smaller Whitechapel store to a much larger building on Church Street. This new site, formerly occupied by Dorothy Perkins and Burton, is now the company's biggest store in the world.
The Liverpool store was designed to be more than just a retail space, incorporating a full-service spa, a hair salon, a florist, and an exclusive perfume library. This multi-faceted approach transforms the location into a complete wellness and beauty destination.
The sheer scale of the store allows Lush to showcase its entire product range and pilot new concepts. Its status as the global flagship attracts brand enthusiasts from around the world, making it a significant landmark on one of the city's busiest shopping streets.
TFG London: A Multi-Brand Powerhouse
In May, TFG London unveiled its largest multi-brand flagship store to date at Liverpool ONE. The 12,000 square-foot space on South John Street brings several of the group's popular fashion brands together under one roof.
Shoppers can find collections from Hobbs, Whistles, and Phase Eight, alongside the homeware brand Inside Story. This integrated retail concept provides a consolidated shopping experience and represents a major investment from the fashion group in a single physical location.
A History of Flagships
Liverpool has a track record of attracting major flagships. For a period, the city was home to Tessuti's global flagship store on Paradise Street. The designer retailer opened in 2022 but closed in 2024, with the prominent site now occupied by Japanese retailer UNIQLO. This demonstrates the dynamic and competitive nature of the city's prime retail landscape.
Upcoming and Niche Market Leaders
The trend of 'biggest and best' extends beyond established sectors, with new and specialized brands also seeing Liverpool as the ideal location for expansion.
Pop Mart: A Collector's Paradise
Set to open in Liverpool ONE is POP MART, which will be the brand's largest UK venue. The store will cater to the growing market for designer art toys and collectibles. It will feature the company's full range of collectible 'blind boxes', which contain mystery figures from popular series.
Exclusive character lines such as Hirono, Crybaby, Skullpanda, and The Monsters (also known as Labubus) will be available. The decision to open its biggest UK store in Liverpool highlights the city's appeal to brands targeting youth culture and niche consumer interests.
Liverpool FC: The Ultimate Fan Store
It is perhaps fitting that the city is also home to the largest official Liverpool FC store in the world. Located at the club's Anfield Stadium, the retail space was purpose-built in 2017 as part of the major expansion of the Main Stand.
The store covers an impressive 4,000 square feet and offers the most extensive range of official club merchandise available anywhere. It serves hundreds of thousands of fans on match days and visitors undertaking stadium tours throughout the year, solidifying its status as the ultimate destination for supporters of the club.