The ‘Asda Living’concept is a general merchandise store containing all of Asda’s non-food ranges including clothing, home electronics, toys, homewares, health and beauty products.
Asda Living stores also feature a coffee shop in many of the larger developments.
The Asda Living site selection employs standard criteria for retail parks and store layout, including:
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Model store is 20,000 sq ft
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Minimum height of 6 metres to underside of roof haunch to facilitate a full sales area mezzanine
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Minimum unit width of 30 metres
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Minimum visible frontage of 20 metres
The Brief
In March 2011, British Land confirmed the lease of a 38,000 sq ft unit in Parkgate retail park, Rotherham, on behalf of Asda Living. Following a major re-fit, the store was scheduled to launch later in the year, creating 80 jobs in the local area.
In keeping with their standard layout and to utilise the full height of the building, a mezzanine floor was planned to provide the necessary sales area. Because of their extensive knowledge and experience in the retail sector, Hi-Store were contracted for the project. Hi-Store’s brief was to provide one continuous mezzanine to service the retail sales area, including necessary staircases and the feature stainless steel balustrades. The mezzanine was to generate an extra 1730 sq m of valuable sales space.
Solution
Following a complete strip out by the main contractor, H&J Martin of Belfast, a fullydetailed site survey was undertaken, from which comprehensive CAD drawings were produced for the manufacture of the mezzanine. In preparing for the mezzanine structure, ‘pockets’ were cut in the concrete slab to allow the mezzanine support column base plates to be recessed. They were secured using counter sunk fixings and then screeded level with the floor to avoid any potential trip hazards.
Given the size of the store, a Caffè Ritazza was to be included on the first floor mezzanine. Located within an atrium, the cafe required a glazed balustrade to the edges. Hi-Store designed and installed the special balustrading with the top rail being 1600mm high supporting a single glass sheet held in place with six clamp fixing brackets.
Finishing on schedule, the mezzanine installation was completed in eight days, including staircases and balustrade.
As a result of this project, Hi-Store have been contracted for a similar mezzanine installation at a new Asda Living store in Gateshead.