Collective Brands Payless ShoeSource unit announced the opening of its 100th franchise store, which is located in Cirebon, Indonesia. The store represents the 7th store in Indonesia to date and the overall rapid international expansion of the Payless store chain over the past two years through its franchise strategy.
“The franchise model has proven to be an effective way to quickly reach more international markets with the Payless brand and all it has to offer — great fashion, well-recognized brands, product quality and leading customer service all at a great price,” said LuAnn Via, chief executive officer and president of Payless ShoeSource. “Payless brings the know-how in footwear specialty retailing and powerful seasonal product collections featuring well-recognized brand names; our franchise partners bring their strong infrastructure and experience within the local markets in which we operate — now 11 countries in all. Our franchise program has exceeded our expectations, and we are excited about future growth for Payless across the globe.”
Payless first launched its franchise operation in 2009 with its first-ever franchise store located in Kuwait, which also represented among the first Payless stores in the Eastern Hemisphere. By the end of 2009, eight stores were operating in three countries in the Middle East — in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In 2010 the company continued its rapid franchise expansion with store openings in Bahrain, the Philippines and Russia and also forged multiple new franchise partnerships in new geographies for the continued expansion in 2011 and beyond. So far in 2011, through franchising its stores, Payless has now entered Peru, Turkey, Israel, Indonesia and Lebanon, and has plans to open franchise stores in Egypt, Morocco, Malaysia, Singapore, Jordan and Mexico by the end this year.
Payless anticipates the continued rapid expansion of its franchise store program, which represents an opportunity for approximately 700 stores in existing and new countries by 2014.
Payless and its nearly 4,500-store chain has an expanding global presence today in 24 countries and territories including the United States and Canada, where stores are wholly owned, as well as in Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, where the retailer operates stores primarily through joint-venture arrangements.
Franchise Store Locations
Franchise stores are currently operating in the following countries: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Israel, Indonesia and Turkey.
