Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Abercrombie & Fitch will open a store here

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Tuesday, August 22, 2000

Abercrombie & Fitch will open a store here
Retailer says move shows the strength of market for outdoors clothing
By Michael Hines
Caller-Times
A new Abercrombie & Fitch store will be coming to Padre Staples Mall, an event that one local retailer said will mean a little more competition in the area and a lot more confidence in the market.
   No opening date has been set for the new store.
   But its arrival marks a significant occasion, said Barry Box, owner of Gruene Outfitters, which is in the same market niche of outdoors clothing
   "It kind of signals the strength of the market," he said. "A store like that is going to keep a lot more of that money in town."
   Box said the market for upscale, outdoors clothing is growing in the Coastal Bend. Exact numbers were not available for Box's store, but he said he has seen steady increases in men's and women's sales, with 12 percent to 15 percent increases in the latter.
   "It's following a national trend: More folks have disposable income and are looking for ways to get out."
   Abercrombie & Fitch operates more than 250 stores, including 35 "abercrombie" stores, which cater to children ages 7 to 14 years old. The company also operates a Hollister Co. store.
   The Corpus Christi outlet is one of six planned in Texas, which already has 12 stores in the state. Austin and Houston have one store each while San Antonio is home to two.
   Opening a store in Corpus Christi, then, would mean keeping those outdoor dollars from going outside the region.
   "Anything we can do to reinforce that this is a good market, a vibrant market, is good for all retailers," Box said.
   Lo Diferente restaurant_moves and gets bigger
   What a difference a block makes.
   Margarita and Joe Flores, owners of Lo Diferente Mexican restaurant, moved their establishment from 8081 Leopard St. to 8151 Leopard St. about three weeks ago.
   About 70 percent of the clientele comes from Koch Petroleum Group refinery, Joe Flores said.
   In addition to a built-in kitchen, the new digs also provide 75 parking spaces, compared with about 12 at the previous location. The Floreses have extended the restaurant hours: from 5 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday and 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
   The restaurant will have a second grand opening Friday, which will include a mariachi band. The band may become a mainstay if response is good, Joe Flores said.
   The new restaurant is also 4,800 square feet, compared with about 900 square feet in the previous location, where they began four years ago. The new place represents a $100,000 investment, Flores said.



On Retailing is published every other Tuesday in the Caller-Times business section. The column includes news of new, relocated and expanded businesses in the Coastal Bend, plus retailing trends and profiles. Ideas may be submitted to: On Retailing, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, Texas 78469; e-mail Michael Hines at hinesm@caller.com; fax items to (361) 886-3732; or call (361) 886-4316.

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