The store is Express, part of a chain of clothing stores centered in malls and shopping centers. The line of business is women's apparel retail. The company is part of a larger corporate entity known as Limited Inc. headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The company today has over 10,000 employees and established sales of more than $1 billion.
The business is defined as women's apparel retail, and the company is positioned within the larger corporate entity of Limited Inc. to provide clothing to women. Other companies under the Limited Inc. banner include other specialty businesses such as Body and Bath Works and a men's clothing store, Structure. Express had been the star performer among these companies until sales sagged in the mid-1990s, at which time Limited Inc. redesigned the store somewhat in order to appeal to a younger woman and to offer trendier clothing that would appeal to that market. The company posted sales of $1.3 billion in 1992. The store then was focusing on buying more American-made items and was opening or remodeling some 40 stores. Nearly all of the denim Express sells is domestically made. The company wanted to increase domestic purchases of sweaters, T-shirts, and dresses. Express company believed that its success was due to the fact that the chain offered items to build a wardrobe, had a good credit card business, and had merchandise that was tested before it was released to all locations. The company president also cited the whimsical decor of the stores as a reason for their success (Moin, 1992, 2).
When sales lagged, the company began to change its mix of clothing and to find goods that would appeal to younger women, as noted. The company also decided to test a prototype for the new Express store in the Flatiron district in New York City, and the design of that store has become the norm for the chain across the country. The store was an 8,500-square-foot space with an off-white and beige interio...