MINISO to Open First Blue Store in Bluewater Shopping Centre

MINISO, a global lifestyle retailer, has announced it will open its first Blue retail destination at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Dartford, England.

The new store spans over 2,000 square feet and will feature MINISO’s best-selling products, including blind boxes, plushies, homewares and accessories. The Bluewater location will also be among the few stores in the U.K. to feature its latest beauty and self-care range, including face masks, hand creams and lip masks.

Switching gears from MINISO’s signature pink aesthetic, the Bluewater store is set to feature baby blue hues. Inspired by the Sanrio Cinnamoroll character, shoppers can browse under fluffy clouds through dedicated zones for Sanrio, beauty, snacks and blind box collectibles.

The store will have a selection of products that are making a comeback from the ’80s and ’90s. The nostalgic collections include classic cartoon characters like Snoopy and Care Bears, Hello Kitty and vintage handheld tech such as Tamagotchis.

The new opening is the retailer’s 27th store in the U.K. and follows the opening of its shopping centre locations in Westfield Stratford City, Westfield White City, Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre and Brent Cross.

“At MINISO, unveiling the first-ever Blue store at Bluewater Shopping Centre marks an exciting new chapter for us,” says Saad Usman, chief operating officer, MINISO U.K. “This is our third store opening of 2024, with more to come as we expand our presence across the U.K. As the very-first MINISO store in Kent, we’re thrilled to bring the blue to Bluewater and spread MINISO’s joy to more premier shopping centre destinations. We can’t wait for customers to immerse themselves in this vibrant new space.”

Related:MINISO Announces Westfield Stratford City Store Grand Opening

Located on the Lower Thames Walk, opposite Foot Locker, MINISO will be opening its doors to the public at noon on Friday, June 7. On opening day, which will feature a live DJ, shoppers will have the chance to meet mascot, PenPen. In addition, the first 300 customers in the store will receive a complimentary goodie bag valued at over £25 with any purchase.

“At Bluewater we strive to offer our guests the best-possible shopping experience,” says James Waugh, centre director, Bluewater. “We’re delighted to welcome such an innovative brand as MINISO to our retail lineup, we are sure that MINISO will make a great addition to the center.”