Kohl's Shoppers Want Return of Old Store
The Wall Street Journal|January 21, 2025
Kohl's shoppers have a message for incoming Chief Executive Ashley Buchanan: Bring back the old Kohl's.
SUZANNE KAPNER
Kohl's Shoppers Want Return of Old Store

To chase younger shoppers and reduce inventory, the department-store chain in recent years scaled back fine jewelry, petite clothing sizes and popular private-label brands to make way for Sephora cosmetics and Babies "R" Us shops inside its stores. The moves upset some longtime customers and sent Kohl's sales into a nosedive that wiped out more than half a billion dollars in revenue over two years.

Departing CEO Tom Kingsbury owned up to those mistakes on a November conference call with analysts. Kohl's isn't backing away from Sephora or Babies "R" Us, which it says have been successful at attracting younger shoppers.

But it is bringing back much of the merchandise it removed.

It will be up to Buchanan, who took the helm last week, to decide whether to follow through on that plan. He steps into the role during a period of turmoil for the company.

Buchanan, 50 years old, will be the third CEO at Kohl's in three years.

Adrienne Cestare-Alfano, 73, a Kohl's customer for more than two decades, said she has been shopping there less since the chain reduced the selection of petite clothing and private brands such as Sonoma jeans.

This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

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This story is from the January 21, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.