Wal-Mart Stores Inc is closing its New York fashion office and consolidating buying operations at its home base in Bentonville, AK, as it refocuses back on basic goods. Wal-Mart had made a well-publicized move to Broadway in the heart of Manhattan's Fashion District in 2009.
At the time, the U.S. Walmart chain was attempting to broaden its fashion and trendy offerings.
“When you consider our core strategy centered in basics and fashion basics, in order to execute our offices do not need to be located in New York,” Andy Barron, executive vice president of the Walmart U.S. softlines business, said in a memo sent to U.S. employees on Wednesday attained by Reuters.
“Also roughly 40 percent of our apparel planning, replenishment and modular execution associates are in Bentonville today. It just makes sense to unite our apparel efforts in one location.”
Wal-Mart said it plans to relocate as many as possible of the roughly 275 workers in New York to Bentonville. It aims to fully move the business back to its home office by Feb. 1.
