Bon-Ton Increasing Locally Inspired Shops

Bon-Ton (Milwaukee) will be expanding its “Close to Home” in-store shops to at least 100 more stores after testing it in 45 stores nationwide. The Close to Home test shops rolled out last fall and found that sales were twice as high as had been projected.

The in-store shops feature locally made or themed merchandise and were curated by regional merchandising teams to reflect “a hometown shopping experience,” reports Journal Sentinel.

It hopes to have Close to Home shops in at least 150 of its stores by mid 2017. As the shops expand into new stores, the company plans to add in more custom-designed clothing and one-of-a-kind creations, such as artwork and jewelry.