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The Vera Bradley empire is expanding – again.
The Fort Wayne-based maker of quilted handbags, luggage and accessories announced Friday its plan to open four stores in four states in three months, including a Cincinnati store that opened Friday. The Journal Gazette on Aug. 1 published information about one of the four shops, an outlet store in Illinois.
Vera Bradley products are sold by 3,500 retailers nationwide and in 24 company-owned stores, including ones in Jefferson Pointe and in Clay Terrace in Carmel.
The privately owned company does not share financial information, including annual sales or the cost to open the new stores. But one executive said the business model is working.
“It is unusual to be able to say a retail store’s sales are up, especially in the last two years, and we are happy we can say that the vast majority of our 24 Vera Bradley corporate-owned stores have experienced double-digit (comparable) store growth,” Vice President David Thompson said in a prepared statement.
National retail sales figures increased just 0.7 percent in August, as compared with July, according to the National Retail Federation. It was the first gain in six months, according to the Washington-based trade association. But last month’s sales were 4.3 percent lower than August 2008, reflecting shoppers’ continued skittishness.
That reluctance to buy doesn’t seem to apply when the Vera Bradley faithful go shopping.
“The success of the stores comes from a huge fan base that loves the product and the importance Vera Bradley places on exceptional customer service,” Thompson said.
The company began compiling shoppers’ names and addresses this year when it started requiring online registration for those who wanted to buy items at its popular outlet sale. But company spokeswoman Melissa Schenkel said Friday that information was not used to determine where to place the four new stores, including Vera Bradley’s first outlet location.
Each of the three retail stores will employ about 10 and range in area from 1,400 to 2,200 square feet. Each store will carry the full line of Vera Bradley products, including handbags and accessories, rolling luggage, eyewear, stationery, tableware and rugs.
The outlet store, opening in Aurora, Ill., will employ 20 to 30. Merchandise will sell for about 35 percent off and will be different than the items for sale at regular retail stores, the company said.
