American Eagle Outfitters (Pittsburgh) will continue to expand its Aerie banner this fiscal year.
In total, it will open between 65 and 70 stores, with 35 to 40 of them being standalone retail spaces. The other slated openings will be side-by-side spaces alongside American Eagle stores. The company is focusing on new markets in Texas and California.
The news came as the brand saw same-store sales rise 6 percent, making for its 16th consecutive quarter of positive growth. Its comparable sales increased 23 percent, while the namesake brand only saw a 3 percent growth.
The success of the Aerie brand is being attributed, in part, to “staying at the forefront of body positivity and women’s empowerment,” Aerie’s Global Brand President Jennifer Foyle said, according to Chain Store Age.