Gibbons Company is poised to introduce more changes to its Reid Street store with the inking of agreements to sell a number of former Trimingham's cosmetics lines.

While Gibbons Company plans to establish a standalone store at 53 Front Street for M.A.C. cosmetics, it will also revamp its main department store on Reid Street to make room for other lines including former Trimingham's vendors Chanel, Christian Dior and Lancome.

The new cosmetics department at the Reid Street entrance to the store should be open before Christmas and will also include Guerlain and Givenchy.

Paula Clarke, chief merchandising officer for the store, said however that the addition of the cosmetics department is but one change going on at Gibbons as it strives to encourage its customers to shop locally.

Over the next three years, the company will add 10,000 square feet of retail space to the main store. It has already doubled the space of its children's section and added a home furnishing section and new craft store. Future remodelling plans include changes to the bed and bath department and men's wear. The company also plans to take-over all of the space in the Church Street mall behind the store once leases with current independent retailers expire.

"Our plans for the next two or three years are to continue to improve the facility as well as expand the facility and so far people have responded very well," Ms Clarke said. "We cannot afford to shut down the business to just do it in one step so we will be doing it a stage at a time to make sure there is no loss of business."Gibbons will also install a new passenger elevator to service all of its floors. It has also enhanced its replenishment system to ensure that it never runs out of necessity items such as underwear, socks, school uniforms and pots and pans and kitchen utensils.

"[The replenishment department will make us more efficient because we want to be in a position to meet the needs and demand of our customers in Bermuda. We want our customers to stay shopping in Bermuda and buy Bermuda and we're doing everything that we feel is within our power to make sure we are serving the community," Ms Clarke said.