How a world-famous department store became a must-visit hotel

“I was talking to a guest this morning,” recalls Simon Drake, “and my first sentence was, 'Shouldn't you have left two days ago?' He laughed and said, 'Yes, but the children always find more to do.'”

Can you really blame them? For guests at the newly opened 101-room The Store hotel in the heart of Oxford, this is likely to be a recurring problem. Because while the city may seem picturesque upon arrival, a recent visit made it clear that the most exciting thing about being home to one of the world's most famous universities is not what you see immediately, but what reveals itself over time – the charming street you can just walk past, the garden hidden behind an unmarked door, the history that lives alongside the chemists, bars and smart shops.

The store itself is a good example of this. From 1912, the building on the corner of Broad and Cornmarket Streets was home to Boswells (itself founded in 1738), a family-run Oxford heritage shop that began selling luggage and eventually developed into a thriving department store. It was sold to Arthur Pearson, a local business owner, in 1890, and his descendants ran the store until it closed in 2020. “The Pearson family, who bought Boswells in its original state 130 years ago, had reached a point where it no longer made financial sense,” says Drake, the store’s managing director. “They decided to sell it to someone who could continue to run it. People always ask me what it’s like to be managing director of The Store, but I’m not just managing director, I’m also a custodian and guardian of Boswells in this next phase of its life.”

Courtesy of the store

A room in The Store, the boutique hotel that opened this year in the former Boswells department store in Oxford.

For anyone who knows Boswells – or for any guest at The Store who stops to glance at the old photos of the shop that hang on the walls – this stage looks very different. Upon entering the building, guests are greeted by a sleek lobby, with a reception desk tucked off to the side and a large lounge and bar (with excellent coffee during the day) dominating the space. Locals and guests are scattered throughout, some using the area as a co-working space, others simply watching life go by through the windows onto bustling Broad Street.

“For me, hospitality is about making people feel comfortable in their chosen area of my building,” says Drake. “In London, there's a culture where you can take your laptop, grab a latte and sit in the hotel lobby for a couple of hours, and that's the norm. In Oxford, that wasn't possible; the historic buildings don't have lounges, and I realised there was a gap in the market here. Some people try to restrict these so-called lobby lizards, but I have no problem with that. Sit down, we'll bring you a coffee, make yourself at home.”

Courtesy of the store

Boswells department store has been a fixture in Oxford since 1738. Today, the building in which it last stood, The Store, is a chic, charming new hotel.

That feeling extends beyond the lobby. The hotel is home to a charming restaurant, Treadwell, which serves three meals most days (and a roast lunch on Sundays) and serves “untraditionally British” dishes—fish and chips is not to be missed—as well as a rooftop bar serving cocktails, American barbecue and views of the city skyline. There’s also a spa that uses products from homegrown brand Oskia and would be a lovely place to spend a relaxing afternoon. The rooms, too, are an oasis of calm, with chic design, modern touches and space to spread out; I stayed in the rooftop suite (ask for it; morning coffee on that eponymous outdoor space was a highlight of the trip) and was never disappointed to return there for a lunchtime break—or a piece of the excellent chocolate that lay next to the minibar.

What goes on inside The Store, however, is only part of the story. Just as the lobby welcomes students, locals and tourists to make them feel at home, guests can simply step out and get lost in the city's mix of university bustle and Gothic and Baroque (and Neoclassical and Romanesque) charm. In just moments, one can walk to the exquisite Ashmolean Museum, Britain's first public museum, to see an impressive collection of art and antiques; shop for snacks and souvenirs at the historic Covered Market; stroll the historic streets to see the colleges, libraries and gardens the city is known for (some are open to visitors, it's worth asking); or visit local landmarks like the Oxford Playhouse or Christ Church Cathedral, which have played more than one role in the Harry Potter films, to attend the daily Evensong concert. A little further afield, but still worth a visit, are treasures such as Blenheim Palace, the Oxford Botanic Garden and the city's eclectic, exciting East End.

“Oxford delivers far more than its weight class allows for a city of its size.”

“Oxford is well above average for a city of its size,” says Drake. The city has seen a rise in tourism from the US and Asia, but has also become popular for short trips among tourists and Londoners alike. “Any time [tourists] “If they had come across the pond, they would have gone to London, and maybe they would have gone to Manchester, Glasgow or Edinburgh, but Oxford would not have been a destination,” explains Drake. “Now we see that it seems more logical to travellers because it is so easy to make a 45-minute journey and be at the gateway to the Cotswolds. Visiting Oxford is something that works well for them.”

Courtesy of the store

The store features an airy lobby lounge that is available to guests and the public for coffee and people watching.

Courtesy of the store

There is also a rooftop lounge offering drinks and a full menu, as well as views of Oxford's stunning skyline.

The store will do everything it can to keep it that way. There's talk of local galleries hanging work on the walls, fashion shows and holiday pop-ups. “This space needs to be given over to the community; anything we can do with local business partners is really important to us,” says Drake. “We just opened our outdoor seating area, so we've put 50 or 60 extra covers outside, bringing Parisian bistro-style food to the streets, and the rooftop will be an ongoing project with the menu changing throughout the year. I really like the idea of an Alpine chalet on the roof towards the end of the year; there's a lot to be said for melted cheese.”

Drake notes that Oxonian residents still come to see the places they used to shop and marvel at how the former pharmacy counter has become something very different. But he is confident that the building that once housed Boswells has found a purpose that will keep it at the center of town for years to come. “Every story you hear tells a story about what this building used to be,” he says, “and this is just the beginning.”