Many of the big name clothing retailers are comfortable with the current fit of their store counts and square footage. After altering for planned closures, net new growth plans have been pretty moderate for the publicly traded retailers that have discussed their plans in their year-end results. With a few exceptions, retailers are shying away from aggressive store opening plans this year.
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Aeropostale plans to open 14 Aeropostale stores and 60 P.S. stores this year. It also plans to remodel 30 Aeropostale stores.
However, the fashion retailer also reported it has identified up to 100 of its store locations for possible closure over the next several years. Of these, it plans to close as many as 20 this year.
Aéropostale stores average approximately 3,700 square feet and its P.S. from Aéropostale stores average 3,300 square feet.
American Eagle Outfitters, which closed more stores than it opened last year, will be accelerating growth across North America. It is opening new mainline stores in several high-profile underserved markets, including Miami and New York.
After square footage decreased 1% last year, it expects to grow by 3% this year. Its plans include up to 10 new mainline stores in the U.S. and Canada, 50 or more store remodels, 40 new factory stores. It plans to close about 40 low-productivity stores.
American Eagle’s average store size is about 6,000 gross square feet.
Christopher & Banks currently plans to open five outlet stores and one dual (Christopher & Banks/C.J. Banks) store. Over the long term, it expects store count expansion to be primarily driven by adding outlet stores.
It is analyzing sales and margin productivity across its two store brand to determine where it can maximize square footage by converting to a dual store format. Christopher & Banks, C.J. Banks, dual and outlet stores average 3,300, 3,600, 3,800 and 3,900 square feet, respectively
Express has identified nine new store openings in the U.S. this year.
In addition, it is expanding some stores. At its San Francisco Center store, it has added a second level to our store, just about doubling its square footage.
Later this spring, at the Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall, it is going to vacate its current location and move into a new space that is more prominent and significantly larger. In June, it is doing the same thing in Dadeland. Express stores average 8,700 gross square feet.
Bucking the trend,
H&M’s (Hennes & Mauritz AB) strong pace of expansion is continuing in 2013 with a planned 325 new stores net internationally. Last year, the Swedish based retailer opened most of its stores in China (25) and the U.S. (20) and closed only one store in the U.S.
This year, the retailer said the highest rate of expansion will again be in China and the U.S.
This week, it announced plans to open stores in the following U.S. locations:
Union Station - Washington, DC
The Shops at Georgetown Park - Washington, DC
Tanger Outlets at National Harbor - Oxon Hill, MD
Roosevelt Collection - Chicago, IL
City Place - West Palm Beach, FL
The Streets at SouthGlenn - Centennial, CO
Triangle Town Center - Raleigh, NC
Streets of Tanasbourne - Hillsboro, OR
Collection at Riverpark (Oxnard) - Oxnard, CA
Market Place - New Orleans, LA.
Also this summer, H&M plans to launch its online sales in the U.S., the world’s largest online market. H&M stores generally range from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet.
Zumiez Inc., which has opened 61 new stores last year, is planning to open another 60 new stores this year. The company said that number may increase or decrease due to market conditions and other factors.
Zumiez stores average 3,000 square feet.
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