New Bradlees a discount benchmark - Bradlees' Yonkers, New York store - Editorial

Discount Store News, May 17, 1993 by Tony Lisanti

The new multilevel Bradlees, which opened two weeks ago in a former Alexander's site in Yonkers, N.Y., was more than just another store opening. Let's face it, dozens of retail stores have opened over the past few months, but this particular one is different. It dispels conventional wisdom about the viability, competitiveness and merchandising savvy of regional discounters. More importantly, it represents what I believe will be several trends in retailing during the rest of the decade.

The store, which boasts almost 210,000 sq. ft. on three levels, effectively executes the flair and pizzazz of a traditional style department store for several reasons:

* Expanded women's apparel department on the main floor with more square footage (at almost 80,000) than the average discount store nationwide.

* Expanded jewerly and cosmetics departments positioned at the front of the main floor entrance and designed much like a high-end department store.

* Expanded family shoe department of almost 6,000 sq. ft.

* Higher price points. For example, $99 dresses and bracelets and necklaces as high as $700, with the opportunity to push prices even higher.

The new Bradlees is further testimony of the following:

* Discounters can design, merchandise and run a multilevel store with wider assortments and higher price points within a central checkout environment;

* Discounters can enter densely populated urban areas with a large and diverse ethnic population;

* Discounters can be a viable anchor for major strip centers and regional malls nationwide where high-end department stores continue to struggle;

* Regional discount chains are able to differentiate themselves from national discount chains.

The non-traditional discount store, like Bradlees' Yonkers store or Clover's Philadelphia store or Kmart's Fresh Meadows, N.Y., store, will be a benchmark for the future of the discount concept. It will create a new avenue of expansion in many cities nationwide.