Tween Brands Inc.
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| Tween Brands, Inc. | |
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| Type | Public (NYSE: TWB) |
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| Founded | 1987 (As Limited Too, Inc.), 1999 (As TOO, Inc), 2006 (As Tween Brands, Inc.) |
| Headquarters | New Albany, Ohio, USA |
| Key people | Michael W. Rayden, Chairman & CEO William E. May, EVP and COO |
| Industry | Retail |
| Website | http://www.tweenbrands.com/ |
Tween Brands, Inc. NYSE: TWB formally known as Too, Inc. operates two store concepts: Limited Too and Justice. Limited Too sells apparel, underwear, sleepwear, swimwear, lifestyle and personal care products aimed at girls aged 7-14 years. Justice, launched in 2004, sells sportswear and accessory items for girls aged 7-14 years. Justice operates at mainly non-mall locations such as power strip and specialty centers. The brand currently operates 572 Limited Too and 92 Justice stores.
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[edit] History
Limited Too was created by The Limited, Inc. in 1987 as a younger girls/infants version of The Limited.
From 1987 through 1995, the number of stores increased from 2 to 288 different retail locations. In 1996, a new senior management team refocused Limited Too into a tween girls fashion store aimed at 7-14 year olds. In 1999, Limited Too, Inc. spun off to establish a strong and independent brand identity.
From 2001 through 2003 the company operated the mishmash chain which targeted 15 - 20 year old women and sold apparel, accessories, and gifts and competed head-to-head with chains like Gadzooks, Wet Seal, and the women's businesses of Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister Co, and American Eagle Outfitters. The chain folded in 2003 because Too Inc. felt that they knew and understood the tween customer better. Committed to this focus, Too Inc. launched the first Justice: Just for Girls stores in late 2003; many of these stores opened in reconfigured spaces that formerly housed mishmash outlets.
On July 10, 2006, Too Inc. completed its name change to Tween Brands, Inc., and began trading on the NYSE under the symbol, NYSE: TWB.
As of 2006. there are currently more than 560 Limited Too stores in 46 states and Puerto Rico as well as a few stores worldwide.
[edit] Controversy
Vanity Sizing: While operating as The Limited Too, stores were proven to practice vanity sizing, leaving inaccuracies in clothing sizes (example: a girl who would wear a size 12 at other stores would wear an 1 at Limited Too stores).
