Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
The Mall at Robinson is about to trade its 77kids by American Eagle short-term “pop-up” store for what will be the brand’s first permanent store.
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. said Wednesday it will open its first five 77kids children’s clothing stores this year, with Robinson as one of the sites. The South Side-based company introduced the brand online only in October 2008.
CEO Jim O’Donnell told analysts on the company’s fourth quarter earnings conference call yesterday that customers’ response to the temporary 77kids store at Robinson has been “really quite good,” despite its small space and limited merchandise assortment.
While the test store was to operate only through the holiday season, the company extended its run through April 3. The Mall at Robinson “is one of the shopping centers where we will be opening one of the free-standing stores,” O’Donnell said.
The new store — the first permanent site for 77kids — is under construction in a 5,600-square-foot space off the mall’s lower-level grand court, Shema Krinsky, the mall’s marketing director, said yesterday. The store will open in July, the company said, adding that details on the other four planned 77kids stores will be provided later.
