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WOOING WOMEN

Forth & Towne is not the only specialty chain in the contest for boomer women’s dollars. Several other chains already have a foothold in the sector. Here’s how the competition stacks up:

Chico’s FAS: Fort Myers, Fla.-based Chico’s said same-store sales grew 15.7 percent for its second quarter ended July 30, and net sales are up 34.6 percent to $343 million. The retailer, which owns the Chico’s, Soma by Chico’s and White House/Black Market chains, plans to increase its square footage by 20 percent in 2006. “We are experiencing same-store sales in the low double-digit range, with the Chico’s brand in the high single-digits range and the White House/Black Market brand again experiencing much stronger same-store sales up in the 40 percent range,” said President and CEO Scott A. Edmonds in a press release.

Christopher & Banks: The Minneapolis-based retailer, which operates 679 stores under the Christopher & Banks, Acorn and C.J. Banks names, posted same-store sales growth of 3 percent for the second-quarter ended August 27. Net sales grew 15 percent to $110.8 million.

Coldwater Creek: This Sandpoint, Idaho-based operator of about 750 stores and a catalog business says more of its net sales came from brick-and-mortar retail stores than from catalogs in the second quarter ended July 30. Sales at brick-and-mortar stores grew to 61.6 percent of overall sales, up from 55.1 percent the year-ago quarter. Net sales at the brick-and-mortar stores grew 55 percent to $95.2 million for the period. For the first six months of the company’s fiscal 2005, brick-and-mortar stores represented 57.7 percent of the company's total net sales, compared with 50.0 percent in the same period a year ago.

Talbots: The Hingham, Mass.-based Talbots Inc. operates 1,071 stores, all but about 100 of which sell apparel and accessories for boomer women. The chain reported a net sales increase of 11 percent for the second quarter ended July 30 to $449.6 million. Same-store sales grew 6.7 percent for the period.