Outdoor fashion retailer Animal has signed for three stores, kick-starting plans to expand its UK presence this year.
The additions to its portfolio are in Bury St Edmunds, Bristol and Canterbury, and form part of the retailer’s plans to open 15 stores this year.
Animal retail director Jimmy Reynolds said: “We had a great year last year and saw double-digit like-for-like growth.
We want to open around 12 more stores by the end of the year and expand into the north of England and Scotland.”
The retailer is in talks with landlords over a number of stores, mainly in the South, and is likely to have completed
deals on another five by Easter.
It has drawn up a list of about 50 potential sites for openings and will be weighing up the opportunities in each. Among the locations it will consider are York, Spalding in Lincolnshire, Stratford-upon-Avon and Winchester in Hampshire, as well as outlet centre locations and airports.
Animal is also looking for a new London flagship store after closing its West End shop on Carnaby Street in September.
“We feel that we need a bigger statement in London,” said Reynolds. “We’re actively looking for a new store there and are considering various sites.”
At present the retailer has 48 stores in the UK and 19 overseas in Europe and the Far East.
Animal will also launch its first transactional website this year, which is due to go live in the summer.
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