Bloomie's delves into outlet business

[FarCenter]

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100121/FREE/100129973
Following its competitors' footsteps, Bloomingdale's will open four outlet stores this year, followed by more in 2011.

By Adrianne Pasquarelli
Bloomingdale's is finally catching up to many of its upscale competitors and entering the outlet store arena. Parent company Macy's Inc. announced Thursday that the upscale retailer will launch an outlet division this year, with four stores opening in the summer and fall. More are expected for 2011.

“Bloomingdale's Outlet stores are an opportunity to expand our presence in new and existing markets, as well as to remove clearance from full-line Bloomingdale's stores in a timely manner,” said Michael Gould, Bloomingdale's chief executive, in a statement.

The first Bloomingdale's outlets, which will each take up about 25,000 square feet, will be housed in the Bergen Town Center of Paramus, N.J., Miami's Dolphin Mall, Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Va., and Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, Fla. The retailer has hired Arnold Orlick, who was chief executive of Fortunoff and a former executive at Macy's Inc.'s predecessor Federated Department Stores Inc., to run the outlet business.

Bloomingdale's is one of the last upscale department stores to explore the outlet business. This spring, Nordstrom will open one of its off-price Nordstrom Rack stores in Union Square, and the chain is rumored to be negotiating for a second location on Fifth Avenue. The Rack division has been far outpacing its full-line parent, with same-store sales rising 3% for the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with the same period of 2008. The Nordstrom chain reported a 4.2% decline for the same stretch. Another competitor, Saks Inc., is also planning to expand its outlet division, Off 5th. Chief Executive Stephen Sadove said he expects to add about five additional outlet stores per year.

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[virgogal]

1. I hate outlet stores. eom

[SoCalDem]

2. In the beginning, they were great, but as they got popular

stuff started to be produced FOR outlet store.. Not nearly the same quality..and no bargains either.

[virgogal]

3. You nailed it! eom

[SoCalDem]

4. When we were first married we got a primo Sears refrigerator

with a scratch down the "wall" side.. paid $75 for it.. brand new

and at a different outlet center we bought a wonderful 4 piece American Touriseter luggage set,..not one thing wrong with it.. the color, "putty,
was not popular..and it had started out as a 5 piece set.. It was tagged $395.00... we paid $85 for the lot:)

Many people have borrowed that luggage throughout the years.. We still have it..all nested together..up in the garage attic:)

and I bought a beautiful gas grill with a broken wheel... paid $35..and hubby bought a new set of wheels:)

Most of the outlet centers these days are just Chinese crap with fancy labels sewn in..but not relly good quality at all.. There was a Pepperrel (sp) linens shop at one I went o..they had a "fantastic" sale on Cal-King sheets...BUT they were 250-thread count.. (like sleeping on sandpaper)..I'll order online( I type in free shipping no tax before anything I search for).. I don't even care if the sheets don't match.. No one from House Beautiful is on my porch with their cameras..

[virgogal]

5. Your post is right on----there is just garbage out there. I had

3 daughters and when they reached their teens all they begged for was flowery,pretty sheets that actually matched. Your post reminded me of that.

I also has 3 sons-------didn't care if they even had sheets. :-)

Putty colored suitcases got you where you wanted to go,nice neutral shade.

Happy shopping.