Bloomies Eyes Bargain Hunters
January 21, 2010 by Andrea Toochin
Filed under Paints & Potions
It seems Bloomingdale’s is going the way of the masses with its announcement that it will join the ranks of retailers in the outlet shopping arena. Mass outdoor shopping venues banking on Americans’ desire for a bargain, even if they didn’t head there with any needs in mind to fill—this is what outlet shopping is all about. And if the upscale retailer thinks it can bank off a little impulse shopping, well, I can’t say I disagree. The prospect of the Bloomingdale’s accessories department on sale and a place where my niece’s stroller would fit brings a smile to my face.
So, the lucky shoppers are the folks in Paramus, New Jersey (Bergen Town Center), Miami, Florida (Dolphin Mall), Woodbridge, Virginia (Potomac Mills), and Sunrise, Florida (Sawgrass Mills), where the Macy’s subsidiary will open its first outlets later this year. Each store will be about 25,000 square feet; for all you New Yorkers, that’s about 50 times the size of the shoebox you live in, so spend wisely when you shop because the goods might not fit in your apartment.
If you don’t live in one of the four areas, fear not, because more locations will open next year across this great indebted nation. Meanwhile, the retail giant has brought the former division principal of Federated Department Stores (now Macy’s) Arnold Orlick, back as senior v.p. for outlet stores, to run the new department.
