Everybody loves a comeback story — especially when it’s the perfect excuse for a shopping trip.
GAP is making its way back onto the high street, with three new stores opening across London this winter.
In 2021, GAP closed all of its UK stores, following a long period of financial hardship.
The US retailer was struggling to compete against the likes of Zara, Primark, and Uniqlo.
But now, just four years later, GAP is back. The new shop locations are Covent Garden, Westfield, and Wembley Park’s London Designer Outlet.
The first store, based in London’s Covent Garden, will open on 7 November, with the other two stores being unveiled across the month of December.
And nostalgic shoppers online are excited to be able to pick up GAP products once more.
‘I hope their jeans are still of decent quality, because they’ll win me back if they are,’ wrote one hopeful Redditor.
While another said the brand has ‘great 100% cotton jeans and sweaters.’
Meanwhile, others are pleased to see the UK high street seemingly turning back the clock: ‘Pizza Hut is restructuring, GAP’s coming back… the 90s is so back baby!’
And one Redditor asked: ‘What’s next to come back? Etam?’
GAP, originally founded in California, has been operating exclusively online since 2021, joining a myriad of other companies who were forced to abandon its high street presence due to market demands.
Fans of the brand have also been able to purchase GAP products in-store at NEXT or online at Urban Outfitters.
And there’s still appetite for the brand, with vintage and thrifted GAP jumpers regularly featuring on second-hand retail platforms like Vinted and Depop.
It seems GAP is attempting to capitalise off of this kind of interest, incorporating its ‘iconic heritage’ into the new flagship store.
Customers will not only be able to buy classic items such as jeans to fleeces, but they’ll also be able to purchase records.
Back when Gap announced that it was shutting its doors, YouGov research director Richard Moller theorised that while the brand offered top quality items and a strong customer experience its troubles likely stemmed from ‘struggles with its reputation, recommendation from customers and value for money perception.’
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