Postmark wraps up five former Paperchase stores

Greetings card retailer Postmark has taken up residence in five former Paperchase stores in Network Rail stations.

The retailer has taken over 3,755 sq ft of space across Network Rail’s London King’s Cross, London Bridge, London Waterloo, Birmingham New Street and London Victoria stations.

This comes after Paperchase fell into administration in February, closing 106 stores at the cost of around 900 jobs.

Network Rail said the new leases were agreed in the space of just two weeks, with the stores’ former fixtures remaining in place to speed up the opening processes.

Postmark first opened in Balham, southwest London in 2004. It operated six stores across London prior to the deal with Network Rail, which sees it enter the travel retail network for the first time.

Hamish Kiernan, commercial director of property for Network Rail said: “There is still strong customer appetite for a premium card and stationery operator and Postmark has been an excellent addition to our retail mix. With Postmark making its debut in travel hubs, the opportunity to work with a successful independent brand ensures our destinations continue to deliver a refreshed and engaging offer for customers. This is an essential part of our retail strategy.”

Network Rail owns and manages around 500,000 sq ft of retail space within major city centre stations. Its stations are home to over 145 brands, and the operator says they generate £60m in monthly sales.