By Barbara Thau
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis.–Kevin Mansell, the new president and chief executive officer of Kohl’s, told HFN the retailer hopes to improve its home sales by duplicating the success of its Chaps home brand by expanding its other exclusive, apparel lines into the category
In an interview yesterday immediately following the announcement that Mansell will succeed Larry Montgomery, who will remain the chairman of the board, Mansell said Kohl’s will also highlight value offerings.
Chaps expanded from women’s and men’s apparel into soft home last May, and has been “a phenomenal success,” Mansell said.
The idea now is to take “more of the brands that are successful in apparel and accessories” and extend them into home. Although Mansell declined to say which brands he has in mind, Kohl’s counts Elle, Candie’s—already in soft home—and Columbia among its apparel and accessories programs.
Exclusive brands account for 42 percent of the retailer’s mix. “But it’s safe to say that we’re not nearly as highly penetrated in home,” Mansell said. “That’s an opportunity of growth for us.”
Right now, “Hard home is outperforming soft home,” he said. That’s largely been driven by the exclusive Food Network kitchenware collection, which recently extended to include a line from celebrity chef Bobby Flay. The program has exceeded plan, Mansell said.
Overall, Mansell blamed Kohl’s poorly performing home business largely on the macroeconomic picture and the housing malaise.
“Home is soft everywhere,” he said.
Considering the economy, emphasizing value in the home mix is yet another path to home’s improvement, Mansell said.
“We have the benefit of overall improved merchandise margins as a company,” he said. “We’ll use that benefit to try to drive more value. That [home] customer will respond to value in core sheet sets, towels. Value means a lot, and can definitely lift demand.”