Cole drops Yard Drops Grand opening
By Madeleine Pattison
‘Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.- Bo Derek’ You’re either shopaholic or hate the idea of it- either way, there’s a new place to do it! On the 1st November 2018, Coal Drops Yard had its grand opening- and I was down there over there as quick as you could say the word ‘shop’! I got stuck in; as well as doing a little late night shopping, I also attended the funky VIP party held at Cada Pastor and managed to talk to Craig White, the director of development for the scheme.
My first impression of this new shopping area, within Kings Cross, was how mysterious it was! Apart from, of course, the sea of people hustling past me, as they too funneled towards the entrance area, tempted onwards by the faint drum of the live DJ mixing up some sounds from inside the center, it didn’t seem like your obvious place to indulge in a bit of retail therapy. Having said this, when we arrived and immersed ourselves among the other shoppers and looked at the exciting and fresh range of retailers, I began to change my mind! These shiny new shops were all buzzing with people enjoying opening parties and drinking a wide variety of beverages from champagne, coffee or even a glass of kombucha!
The old buildings date from 1851 and were built for a heavy locomotive industry, machines not humans, which added another dimension to the overall shopping experience. When speaking to Mr. White, he stressed how inspirational he found the heritage and rich subculture that evolved in the area which was why he wanted to “keep that spirit alive.” He was especially mindful with how his work would allow the visitors to flow from the existing buildings at King’s Cross and then into and between the buildings, laterally and vertically across three levels. As I experienced myself, the solution was a stunning combination of design, led by Heatherwick Studio.
As for the shops themselves- I’m a creature of habit and tend to only have the experience of admiring the entire shop if it’s one already familiar to me. However, I was overwhelmed by each shop I went into as they were all so different from your typical high street stores, drawing in their customers not with sale signs plastered on the windows, but with innovative and creative displays- high heels floating on red ribbon, underwear stores with floors that mimicked the mesh of their products. The versatility of the stores was so expansive! Craig has done extensive research to bring a new vibe and alternative edge to the retail offering.
Overall, the product of Argents’ hard work should be tremendously applauded for having the vision to use a beautiful old space to create a collaborative and social place for admiring visitors and shoppers. I would suggest popping over there yourself to take a look. Kings Cross is where it’s all happening!
