Select plots 200 new stores in next five years

Women’s fashion retailer Select has announced ambitious expansion plans to open 200 new stores over the next five years, as it seeks to take advantage of a soft retail property market. The retailer, which targets fashion-conscious shoppers on a

budget, has set itself a target of opening 40 stores per year over the five years, and to increase its presence in London, the South and Southeast regions.

Select

announces ambitious five-year expansion plan

The fashion retailer has tasked property firm Cushman & Wakefield with finding shops between 2,500 and 4,000 square feet in “prime retailing locations” that fit within its key demographics and existing customer profile, women aged 16-25 that enjoy “effortless catwalk to high-street style” at “surprising prices”.

Select's bricks and mortar expansion plans are in stark contrast to many other high street fashion chains, including Warehouse and Oasis, which are seeking to reduce their store portfolios due to the increasing popularity of online shopping, and in a marketplace where nearly one in seven shops are vacant in town centres across the UK.

James Merrett, partner in Cushman & Wakefield’s retail team, said: “Select has an ambitious plan to expand and is looking to open around 40 stores per year over the next five years.

“By understanding Select’s core business and analyzing their existing customer base, we are able to refine our search criteria to ensure we secure quality sites. Select’s acquisition program is very exciting, especially in the backdrop of challenging market conditions.”

Last year the retailer opened 30 stores, increasing its portfolio to more than 130 locations across the UK, and it has also revamped its online offering with improved usability, trend updates, as well as online discount for students.

In January, following the retailer’s successful Christmas trading, Select’s chief executive, Cafer Mahiroglu, said: “Select has emerged as an ongoing success story in the battered high street retail market. As evidence suggests, in recessionary times there is sustained, even growing demand for a viable alternative on the high street for trend-driven, affordable fashion product.”