Dive Brief:
- As David's Bridal continues to implement its turnaround, the retailer opened its latest retail location in Naperville, Illinois on Thursday, according to a company press release. The retailer has more than 300 stores globally.
- Additional retail locations will open this year in Torrance, California, and Pembroke Pines, Florida, "and more," per the announcement.
- The Naperville location will carry over 1,000 dresses in sizes 0 to 30W for all occasions.
Dive Insight:
David's Bridal is assessing its store fleet as it focuses on its ominichannel strategy.
The latest real estate play of a new location in Illinois — with additional stores to come by the end of the year — is one of many announcements the retailer has made this year. The company recently launched a 24-hour YouTube Live channel, debuted a collection of ready-to-wear dresses dubbed the Little White Dress Boutique, launched a Quinceañera line, and expanded its private labels to bridesmaid and lingerie collections. In the spring, the company closed on a $70 million dollar term loan which CEO Jim Marcum said it would use to execute and accelerate its growth initiatives.
Expansion of its physical store locations seems to be part of that growth.
"We are laser-focused on continuing to grow and enhance our customers' entire shopping experience," said Bob Walker, David's Bridal's chief field operations and store experience officer. "This includes having a vast and accessible retail footprint for her to browse and find 'the one.' Customers today want to integrate their online and in-store journeys, and our focus has been on putting our customers first and making that transition seamless."
The high-touch wedding industry was particularly hard-hit during the early months of the pandemic, as events were canceled to curb the spread of COVID-19. The industry is reportedly in the middle of a rebound as vaccinations have become more widespread.
