Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 25, 1993 TAG: 9308250121
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAT BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD LENGTH: Long
Bob Tysinger, general manager for Leggett Co.'s Virginia outlets, said merchandise at the new Bedford outlet is a better grade than larger discount competitors carry. But he drew a line between his store's inventory and what a traditional Leggett store stocks.
"We want the customers to realize that we're operating something totally different here, because if they come here expecting full service, they will be disappointed," he said.
The outlet, one of four Leggett has opened in Virginia and the first in Southwest Virginia, is in the Westgate Shopping Center. Leggett opened an outlet last week in Virginia Beach and has others in Fredericksburg and Hampton.
The opening has been advertised for 10 a.m. today, but early shoppers were allowed inside on Monday and Tuesday. Clerks who used to deliver personal service were busily operating cash registers at checkout counters at the front of the store.
"We don't want to hurt Leggett's image," said Tysinger. "We will have markdowns" from the company's other stores. "We are cleaning up the mistakes." He said removal of out-of-season clothes allows regular Leggett stores to tidy up and restock.
Customers will not find cosmetics, housewares, gift wrapping, alterations or layaway services of a regular department store. And they're advised at the checkout counter that exchanges must be made within 10 days with a receipt, unlike the more liberal policies at Leggett's other stores.
What customers will find is marked-down merchandise from Leggett stores in Altavista, Lynchburg, Martinsville and South Boston.
Leggett items that will make their way to the outlet include clothing, bedding, shoes and handbags. Tuesday there were Etienne Aigner handbags selling for less than half their regular price of $110. There were bargains on Liz Clairborne irregulars, Kathie Lee dresses and Polo suits for men.
Shoppers at the new store can determine the size of each day's discounts by checking a code system posted on overhead bulletin boards. The code refers to colored dots on merchandise sales tags. The color of the dot indicates whether the item's price is 25, 35, 50 or 75 percent below the ticketed price.
Other merchandise for the outlet will be bought at wholesale clothing markets especially for outlet and discount stores. Tysinger said inventory will change frequently and shoppers will find lots of familiar brand names. "People seem to enjoy shopping for this kind of deal," he said.
Kathy Glover, the mother of year-old twins and three other children, was pleased to find 8-year-old Megan a new bathing suit for a swim party she was to attend.
"There's twice as much here for infants and toddlers," she said, comparing the outlet to Leggett's Bedford store, which has been at the shopping center for 11 years and was downtown before that.
Allie Black, a nurse at Bedford County Memorial Hospital, said she had "a couple of bargains right in my hand here," holding up several garments. She said the outlet would be good for Bedford because "the buys are better."
Jeanine Hatcher of Big Island and her son, Christopher, 9, said they miss the full-service store. He was looking for Levis and said there were none his size.
"I like it, but the dress I wanted is gone," said Teresa Cutshaw of Bedford. The Liberty High School graduate had been in the outlet Monday and had spotted a black rayon minidress. She said she had planned to wear it on an upcoming first date - that is, until she returned Tuesday to find it had been sold.
Margaret Wecht of Bedford was taking home two pairs of Easy Spirit shoes, which she said she was getting for less than the usual price of a single pair. "I think the bargains will be better" than at the full-service store, she said.
Lillian Carter was happy with the store's change. "A lot of people before couldn't afford to shop at Leggett," she said.
Leggett did not close the Bedford store because it was losing money, said John Hawkins, manager of the outlet and former manager of the department store. "We were a pace-setter store, which meant we achieved our [sales] goals."
Hawkins said he liked the new paint job and the fact that he can see from one end of the store to the other. He said two employees had resigned, so the outlet was able to keep all of its previous full-time employees.
Tysinger admitted he deliberately imitates the layout of competitor discount stores when designing outlets. "They are awfully good at what they do," he explained.
Tysinger said Belk, Leggett's marketing partner, has a few outlets in the Carolinas. He said outlets that succeed in moving clothes quickly serve an important retail function. "Clothes are not like a fine wine," he said. "They don't get better with age."
by CNB