One of Dublin's landmark stores, Clerys on O'Connell Street, is to undergo a further series of significant changes to bring it into line with other department stores.

Under an ongoing multi-million pound refurbishment programme, the next phase will see the first and second floors being revamped to include a mezzanine area catering for women's fashion.

Due to be completed by 2003, the refurbishment, costing over £14 million (€17.78m), represents the biggest spend by the store in its long history. The department store has also announced the arrival of a number of new fashion brands including Elvi, Austin Reed, Minuet and Mexx, which join other top brand names like Karen Millen, Nitya, CaractΘre, Gerard Darel, Gas and InWear on the ladies floors.

The refurbishment of Clerys is not only a significant development for the company, but will also give a boost to retail on O'Connell Street, where the store has traded since 1853. Jean Ann Taylor, general manager of the Clerys Group, said: "This is the first time that the company has undergone such a major project and is the biggest spend in our 146-year history. Annual turnover for the business was £35 million (€44.44m) in 2000 and we are confident that we will exceed £39 million (€49.52m) in 2001".

The decline of O'Connell Street in the 1980s was in many ways mirrored by this long-established department store, which by the early 1990s had come to be regarded as an outdated and drab store by a new generation of shoppers. Then in the early 1990s Clerys sought to readdress its declining fortunes and began to pursue the young fashion brands that were dominating the market.

The launch of Clerys newly refurbished ground floor in June 1999 was the first phase of the development plan, and the modernisation is due to be completed by 2003.

Plans for the first and second floors will be similar to the ground floor, which included new flooring, lighting, layout and shop-fit units. Architects for the redevelopment plan are Douglas Wallace Architects.

The decision to refurbish the store came as a direct response to a number of factors, including the booming economic climate in Dublin, the fast growing retail market and the shift in customer profile to incorporate a younger market.

The store's infrastructure changes helped to attract major new brands to the store. Clerys has increased its young ladies fashion business significantly over the last two years and is now a very dominant player in the 16-25 age group ladies market, with brands such as Top Shop, Miss Selfridge, Bay Trading, InWear, Gas, and Angel. Young ladies fashion business is the fastest growing market, and now accounts for 19 per cent of total business - from just 6 per cent two years ago.

"Our strategy of having three price brackets over the various brands is the recipe for Clerys success. Our very young customer base is growing with the store and they are the customers of the future for Clerys."

The cosmetic and accessories business "has also grown this year due to increased footfall in the store, the increase in our fashion business and the new brands introduced to the departments," added Taylor.

After the completion of the main floor in 1999, the basement retail area was targeted for redevelopment. Men's fashion was the first area to be revamped and now includes concessions from Austin Reed Menswear, Top Man, Marlboro Classics, Dockers, Kangol, Guide, Levis and Gas.

As a result Clerys has seen growth of 30 per cent in its men's fashion business. The china and glass department on the lower ground also underwent complete overhaul and has already seen a significant increase in sales.

More recently, the department store launched one of Ireland's first dedicated digital departments, called Mister Digi, which concentrates on digital and computer items. Customers can test run products at the "live play bar' before purchasing. The store has also invested substantially in developing its e-commerce capabilities.

Its online shop, www.clerys.com, offers a selected range of discounted items for online shoppers. One of the most recent features of the site allows brides and grooms-to-be to post their wedding gift lists online in order to co-ordinate their wedding presents.

Since May of this year online customers have been able to collect their Clerys purchases from their local Spar branch in conjunction with Collectpoint if they prefer, rather than waiting for van delivery.

Their embrace of e-commerce, the young fashion market and infrastructure developments, coupled with a pro-active marketing strategy, has seen a gradual shift in perception of Clerys over recent years.

The company no longer suffers from an outdated image and is now considered one of the market leaders on the Irish retail landscape, attracting the serious shoppers back to O'Connell Street.