Babies Need Baths

Mothers Work Inc. (Philadelphia), operator of a chain of stores carrying maternity apparel and supplies, reported that net sales for March 2002 increased 20.8 percent over the year before, and a same-store sales leap of 7.6 percent. For the second quarter ending March 31, 2002, the retailer reported a net sales increase of 17.8 percent, and same-store sales improved 3.9 percent.

The company, which operates under the trade names Motherhood Maternity, A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity, Dan Howard and Mothertime, has 893 stores, 142 more than a year ago.

Since its acquisition of the 170-store iMaternity chain in October 2001, Mothers Work has closed 71 of those stores, and is consolidating that operation into its own. The remaining iMaternity stores it inherited (under the Dan Howard and Mothertime banners) will be renovated and renamed Motherhood Maternity.

And Bed, Bath & Beyond (Union, N.J.), reported same-store sales increases of 11.9 percent for the fourth quarter 2001 ending March 1, 2002, 7.1 percent for the year.

The nation's largest superstore retailer of home items posted its 10th consecutive year of record earnings since it went public in 1992. At the end of fiscal 2001, it operated 396 stores in 44 states, including 85 new stores opened during the year. Included in that were the company's first store in New Hampshire and first store outside the continental U.S. (in Bayamon, Puerto Rico). Total store space grew to approximately 14.7 million square feet, an increase of approximately 2.5 million, or 20.6 percent.