J.C. Penney (Plano, Texas) will begin selling the Joseph Abboud Joe clothing line, now sold exclusively at Macy’s, at its stores this summer. The line will appear in 600 of the chains 1100 department stores nationwide.
The move reflects ongoing changes to the retail landscape as stores and brands continue to vie for shopper’s loyalty and shopping dollars. Macy’s says it’s dropping the Abboud line because its customers preferred its store brand Tasso Elba.
Penney has been trying to distinguish itself from discounters like Target and Walmart, by adding such style-conscious lines as Kimora Lee Simmons, Charlotte Ronson, Allen B. Schwartz and a new home decor line from Cindy Crawford. The addition of the Joe line is designed to help boost the company’s image with style-conscious men. “We’re playing a little catch-up with men,” Steve Lawrence, Penney’s executive vp, men’s apparel, told The Wall Street Journal.