Waitrose will open its first food hall in Aberdeen next week.
The partnership between Dobbies, on the city’s Lang Stracht, and the luxury chain means around 2,000 products will be available across the store.
Work has been ongoing for a number of weeks to get it ready for unveiling.
Dobbies made the decision to switch to Waitrose, which is owned by John Lewis Partnership, after ending its contract with Sainsbury’s.
Some products now available
A Dobbies spokeswoman confirmed customers can from today buy some Waitrose products but the official opening with fully stocked shelves will take place on Friday, June 9.
Press & Journal readers reacted to news of the arrival in the Granite City hailing it as “great news” and “wonderful”.
Aberdeen has for years been seen as a likely target for a new Waitrose, which tend to be in relatively-affluent areas, but despite opening stores across the country it has never reached the Granite City.
A Dobbies spokeswoman said: “We are excited that from this week, Waitrose products will start to feature in the food hall of our Aberdeen store.
“Waitrose’s wide range of high-quality food, drink, grocery products, and everyday essentials will be phased in over the next week, with the food hall officially opening on Friday 9 June.”
Welcome news after stoppage of home deliveries
The supermarket giant recently revealed it was halting grocery delivery services to Aberdeen postcodes from June 24.
Groceries from the luxury supermarket chain would usually be delivered to north-east residents from the branch in Stirling.
However, the brand has said they are no longer able to sustain the five-hour round trips.
Waitrose said customers could instead buy products from the Dobbies food hall.
Its current Scottish stores are in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newton Mearns and Stirling.
Waitrose also opened a food hall within Dobbies in Dundee earlier this week.