Maurices
 A Maurices store at Tifton Mall in Tifton, Georgia | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Founder | E. Maurice Labovitz |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 932 (2019)[1] |
Areas served | United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, jewelry |
| Parent | American Retail Group (1978–2005) Ascena Retail Group (2005–2019) OpCapita (2019-present) |
| Website | www |
Maurices Inc., stylized as maurices, is an American women's clothing retail chain based in Duluth, Minnesota. Founded in 1931 in Duluth,[2] the chain comprises more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada, primarily located in shopping malls and smaller towns.
The founding Labovitz family sold Maurices to the Brenninkmeijer family's American Retail Group in 1978.[3] Ascena Retail Group acquired it from American Retail Group in 2005.[4]
History
[edit]Maurices was founded by Emanuel Morris “E. Maurice” Labovitz (1900-1993),[5] who opened his first store under the name Maurices Dress Shop, 1931 in Duluth. The name was shortened to simply Maurices by the late 1960's.[6]
In 2011, Maurices was rated one of the "Top Ten Best Employers in Retail" by Forbes.com.[7]
In March 2019, Ascena sold a majority stake in Maurices to a U.S. subsidiary of London-based private equity firm OpCapita LLP at a valuation of $300 million. Maurices' leadership team remained in place, with the addition of former GAP CEO Jeff Kirwan as the company's new executive chairman.[8] Ascena will retain a minority stake in the company. In a public statement released after the transaction, OpCapita's CEO Henry Jackson said he would “welcome the continued support of Ascena through their retained stake and the range of services they will provide.”[9]
Celebrity endorsements
[edit]In November 2011, Maurices announced a cooperation with celebrity designer Christopher Straub from the reality television show Project Runway season 6, which aired on Lifetime Network. The products are labeled Christopher Straub for maurices and were released nationwide on Friday, November 25, 2011.[10] Straub also designed a plush puppy as part of the collection to benefit the American Cancer Society.[11] This cooperation is a follow-up to the maurices Main Street Model Search[12] which occurred earlier in 2011 with Straub.
References
[edit]- ^ "Could Maurices return to downtown retail scene?". Archived from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
- ^ "In the heart of Duluth". maurices. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ "MAURICES THROUGH THE DECADES". www.m.startribune.com. Star Tribune. 15 Aug 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2018.[dead link] Alt URL
- ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Rozhan, Tracie (17 November 2004). "Dress Barn to Buy Maurices (Published 2004)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-07-17.
- ^ Konnie Lemay (1 Oct 2016). "Maurices: Small Town Roots, Big Time Success". www.lakesuperior.com. Lake Superior Magazine. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Unveiling the Fashion Essence: A Deep Dive into the Success Story of Maurices". www.thecenteral.com. The Central. 31 Jan 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ Wong, Elaine (2010-12-02). "The Ten Best Employers In Retail". Forbes. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ Ostuni, Amanda (2019-03-25). "Duluth-Based Women's Clothier Maurices Sold to London Equity Firm". Twin Cities Business. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
- ^ "Duluth-based retailer Maurices sold to private-equity firm in $300M deal". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
- ^ "maurices.com homepage"
- ^ "Cooper the Beagle"[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Maurices Main Street Model Search" Archived March 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit]
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