John Lewis Scotland, Shop, Scottish Store, Location, Phone, Retail, Building, Address

John Lewis Scotland : Edinburgh Store

The St James Centre : John Lewis Edinburgh
post updated 6 May 2025

John Lewis, Edinburgh : Phone 0131 556 9121

Store Address: John Lewis, St James Centre, Edinburgh, EH1 3SP

picture © Adrian Welch

Access to the store from Leith St or from the St James Centre entries.

This Scottish John Lewis store is located at the east end of the Edinburgh New Town Phase One. The sandstone facade has a massive scale and simple detailing. The recent Calton Square opposite relates well to it. Unlike the ugly St James Centre behind it – often voted the most disliked building in Scotland – this grand shop by Sir Basil Spence Glover & Ferguson has lasting presence.

John Lewis Edinburgh

John Lewis, Edinburgh: photo by Adrian Welch

John Lewis Edinburgh – Website: www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSMain.aspx?StoreId=2

St James Centre shopping centre : image from Michael Laird Architects

Michael Laird Architects had a scheme for the total redevelopment of John Lewis Edinburgh and the St James Centre site but this failed to go ahead due to the developer’s direction.

St James Centre : photo by Adrian Welch

In 2003 Malcolm Fraser Architects and the Cockburn Association plans for Princes Street included the John Lewis Edinburgh store and in late 2004 Broadway Malyan Architects – who designed the Leith Street Bridge which accesses the St James Centre shopping centre – were reported to be drawing up plans for New Town Shopping along the lines of the Malcolm Fraser proposals.

St James Centre, Edinburgh: Food on 1:

St James Centre : image from CDA Architects