Saks Fifth Avenue For Men

Saks Fifth Avenue recently opened a 22,000-square-foot men's store in Chevy Chase, Md. The new freestanding store is the eighth of its kind, and certainly not the last.

The decision to move the men's business to standalone format appears to be a profitable one. Analysts estimate the new location will bring in about $12 million in first-year sales. While no plans for future men's stores are etched in stone, Saks executive vp of merchandising, Wayne Meichner, said the company has its eye on four or five future locations.

Previously, men's merchandise was crammed into 6,000 square feet at the local Saks, located two blocks from the new shop. The leftover space is undergoing renovation to allow for more women's accessories and apparel.