Tomorrow at 11am, Italian department store COIN will reopen in Florence near the exit to the Uffizi Galleries after shuttering operations on the former via dei Calzaiuoli premises last Christmas Eve. The 17th-century building commissioned by Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo II, underwent a five-and-a-half-month restoration to the tune of six million euro to modernize the palazzo for its second life as a retail outlet.
Florence’s new COIN store aims to fulfil the desires of today’s department store shoppers with an eclectic and engaging experience across six floors and more than 2,000 square metres of retail space. “We want to make the COIN Firenze experience more dynamic and interactive,” explains Gabriele Gulizia, retail director for COIN. “Plus, we felt a sense of duty to add touches of Tuscany and Florence through a representation of local brands.”
The ground-floor food court will be managed from morning to night by Menchetti dal 1948, three generations of Tuscan bakers from the Val di Chiana area, in a fitting tribute to the palazzo’s former purpose as the city’s grain store. Florentine and Tuscan brands such as artisanal papermakers Il Papiro and jewellers Maison Gioielli take up residence on-site alongside blockbuster beauty names like Mac, Kiehl’s and Rituals as well as leading names Acqua di Parma, Bulgari, Ferragamo and more. Innovation and sustainability in the skincare world—Erborian, Biancamore and local companies Poesia 21 and Biofficina Toscana—also occupy the limelight. Menswear and womenswear can be found on the second and third floors with a blend of iconic contemporary designers like Zadig&Voltaire, Chiara Ferragni and American Vintage and a denim section with clothing by Levi’s, Reply, GAP and CK Jeans. The fourth floor is devoted to lingerie (Emporio Armani, Chantelle and Passionata, among others) and childrenswear (Petit Bateau, Jeckerson and North Sails). The high-ceilinged fifth floor completes the new department store’s offering, focusing entirely on home décor with countless products by the brand’s own Coincasa line (established in 1962), in addition to selected items from leading Italian design houses like Alessi and Zafferano, home fragrances from Florentine firm Logevy 1965 and everyday tech products by See Alto.
After the opening on December 14, COIN Firenze will be open from 10am to 8pm daily. International travellers will find signage in Italian and English as well as tax-free shopping.
