Circuit City Stores Inc. (Richmond, Va.) is testing a new concept store it’s calling “The City,” with a new look and interactive layout.
A company spokeswoman said the stores include different fixtures and lighting, a refined product selection and a more interactive experience. “We're excited about the remodeling and think consumers will enjoy shopping at the new store,” said spokeswoman Jackie Foreman.
The first The City, a remodel of a store in the company's Richmond headquarters city, will open in time for the holidays. The new stores are part of the 60 to 65 domestic stores the company plans to open during the fiscal year, Foreman said, with a mixture of both traditional-size and smaller-scale stores. The company has said half of the additions will replace current stores. It also plans to open 75 to 100 new stores in fiscal 2009. It is unclear, Foreman said, whether the name change and store layout will take place throughout the company's 658 stores and planned additions and relocations.
In September, the country’s second-largest consumer electronics retailer announced a loss of $62.8 million in its second fiscal quarter compared with a $10 million profit a year earlier. Sales slipped during the period, weighed down by softer sales of videos, camcorders and DVD hardware, among other items.