The Luxe Company, York's new luxury store - first look

The Luxe Company will open from 9.30am in the former Wallis fashion store in Coney Street - in part of a site which has lain empty for more than five years.

The lifestyle store, which already has a branch in Harrogate, will open initially to sell a range of homewares as well as stylish Christmas decorations, cards and designer pyjama sets ahead of the festive season.

Director Lisa Marshall told The Press: "I feel really excited about bringing our store to York. It is great to be here at the start of the Christmas season and we hope people will pop in for a glass of Champagne and start their Christmas shopping with us."

The Luxe Company will open on Friday and be selling Christmas decorations for the home (Image: Newsquest)

As reported in The Press, Lisa and her husband and business partner Brian have big plans for the store, which has four storeys.

Only the ground floor will be open initially, but after Christmas, the whole building will be full of homewares and luxury goods including swimwear, lingerie and faux flowers.

There will also be a champagne and coffee bar and light snacks will be available for breakfast and lunch.

Lisa said the business was already a success in Harrogate and online and added: "We have luxury items at affordable prices and everybody needs a little bit of luxury in life."

She said opening the new store despite the current challenging economic climate was a vote of confidence in Coney Street and the future of the high street.

WATCH: Lisa Marshall tells us all about her new store in Coney Street

Coney Street, York's historic main shopping thoroughfare, has witnessed many store closures in recent years - inline with many other parts of the country.

The street currently has nine empty shops but has also seen the arrival of seven new businesses in recent years - a sign of the changing face of the high street.

Bigger changes are to come. The Helmsley Group has unveiled its ‘Coney Street Riverside’ scheme, which imagines creating 250,000ft2 of mixed-use retail, leisure, commercial and residential space, a riverside walkway and open space for the public, both on the waterfront and between the Ouse and Coney Street.

Lisa said the plans "are going to bring life back to Coney Street." She added: "We think Coney Street is only going to get better. It's been awful but the plans are amazing and we want to be in at the early stage."

Lisa believes people still want to buy from bricks and mortar shops. She said: "We need to see and touch things to appreciate the beauty of something - people still love shopping."

But she added that people needed an extra incentive to come out shopping. "You have to realise you can't be a one-trick pony - you have got to think so much more about giving an experience to the customer."

Find out more at The Luxe Company.