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WET SEAL REVS UP OFFERINGS WITH COSMETICS AND TV NETWORK

Contemporary apparel retailer The Wet Seal is presenting a new face to its customers — that of a destination store for trendy cosmetics as well as a fashion and entertainment network.

Launched in March 2002, Seal Glamour Cosmetics appears at 180 Wet Seal stores in malls nationwide. At the same time, SEAL TV began broadcasting at 210 stores.

The cosmetic line includes nearly 20 different items including lip gloss wands, chunky eye pencils, nail polish and fashion eyelashes. Customers can also pick up pocket-size “survival kits” containing a variety of items from the line in a convenient miniature case. Items are priced between $5.50 and $16.50.

“With the introduction of Seal Glamour Cosmetics, Wet Seal becomes a destination for beauty, as well as fashion, music and entertainment,” said Steve Strickland, senior vice president of marketing and creative services at the Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based retailer, in a written description of the concept.

Meanwhile, SEAL TV will feature exclusive video footage, music videos and interviews with the day’s hottest entertainment stars. It will feature such original programming as a sneak peek at the retailer’s spring photo shoot for the “It’s your life. Dress for it” campaign.

Wet Seal is also relaunching its direct marketing business with a magazine-type catalog, which will complement SEAL TV through interviews with the celebrities featured on the TV network.

Wet Seal will wire all stores companywide to air SEAL TV by the end of 2002. The retailer operates almost 500 stores in nearly every state.

GADZOOKS ROLLS OUT SLEEPWEAR, BODY PRODUCTS STORES

With a series of store openings in Southeast U.S. area malls, Gadzooks has launched a new line of stores to sell sleepwear, fragrances, and bath and body products to young women.

The Carrollton, Texas-based retailer of clothes and accessories for teen-agers unveiled its first two Orchid stores at the Woodlands (Texas) Mall; the Baybrook Mall, Friendswood, Texas; and the Vista Ridge Mall, Lewisville, Texas, last November. It also opened an Orchid at the Esplanade Mall, Kenner, La.

Targeting young women between the ages of 14 and 22, Orchid stores offer a combination of branded and private-label sleepwear, fragrances and other products.

“Our job now is to listen closely to our customers to further understand their needs, and [to] monitor our mix to ensure it remains fresh and aligned with our brand identification,” said Paula Masters, Gadzooks president and chief merchandising officer, in a written statement.

LIMITED PULLS IN INTIMATE BRANDS

In a $1.6 billion stock deal in late March, The Limited purchased 16 percent of Intimate Brands it did not own, after raising its offer to appease some Intimate shareholders. Intimate issued 72.6 million shares of its own stock in exchange for the Limited shares. Following the deal, Intimate shares were no longer publicly traded. Intimate controls Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and White Barn Candle Co. and will now function as a wholly owned Limited subsidiary.

The transaction ends a nearly two-month effort by Limited to bring Intimate back under its roof, seven years after it spun off the stake. Limited had to raise its offer twice to the final 1.1 shares of Limited for each Intimate share before the deal was accepted.

CAROLINA HOLDINGS SEEKS TENANTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER

Carolina Holdings, a Greenville, S.C.-based commercial developer, is seeking outlot and in-line tenants for its recently opened Kingstree (S.C.) Commons center.

Opened last November, Kingstree is a 49,000-square-foot neighborhood center anchored by a BI-LO grocery store. The store is a new prototype for the grocer, which is owned by Kroger Co. and operates in the U.S. Southeast, and features a deli, bakery, fresh seafood department, floral department and café. In-line tenants include CATO Fashions, a seller of lower-priced women’s apparel; a cash advance store; a telecommunications store; and a Chinese restaurant.

The center is located at the intersection of Gee and Longstreet streets. At press time two in-line spaces of 1,200 square feet each and two outlots were available, said Diana Bolding, a Carolina Holdings spokeswoman.

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