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EXCLUSIVE: Audemars Piguet aims to open AP Townhouse in London in 2019

Townhouse concept brings customers into a luxurious living room environment for an experiential soft sell.

Audemars Piguet is aiming to open a London AP Townhouse in the spring of 2019, the company’s UK country manager Daniel Compton revealed to WatchPro this week.

A site for the showroom has not yet been acquired, but the business is almost certain to stick with a Mayfair location close to Bond Street.

The AP Townhouse will not be a typical Bond Street boutique, it will be more like a private members’ club without frontage onto a major shopping street.

Other examples from around the world show how the concept is to create a luxurious living room environment in which well-heeled customers will feel instantly at home.

In New York, that could look like a Manhattan loft apartment. In Hong Kong, it is more like a modern 5-star hotel suite (pictured top and below). A Georgian townhouse in Mayfair would be an appropriate option for London.

Audemars Piguet is working through a world-wide drive to get as close as possible to its customers with a focus on monobrand stores, either directly owned and operated by AP, or in partnership with authorised dealers.

It currently has only eight doors in the UK including Rox in Glasgow, Owen & Robinson in Leeds, two Watches of Switzerland stores, Harrods and Selfridges in London. Mr Compton says the number of doors will not increase.

 

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The shape of things to come? Audemars Piguet’s Townhouse in Hong Kong resembles a luxury hotel suite where customers can chat about watches over a drink. The space doubles as a location to meet existing customers and an event space to attract new ones.

 

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BREAKING NEWS: Audemars Piguet unveils its future vision for luxury retail

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