Rue21
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The correct title of this article is rue21. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
| rue21, Inc. | |
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 |
| Headquarters | Warrendale, Pennsylvania |
| Key people | Bob Fisch, President and CEO |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Clothing and Apparel |
| Website | www.rue21.com |
rue21 is a leading fashion retailer headquartered in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the Thorn Hill Industrial Park. It has more than 270 locations in 40 states and is growing rapidly. The store's name comes from the French word for street, using this based on the common American perception that French goods are high quality, and the number 21, which is considered the optimum age.
rue21 has always been considered a discount clothing store, but its marketing strategies have changed over the years. For the majority of the store's lifespan, it had been trying to emulate Old Navy. However, this format never gained popularity, and in the 1990s, rue21 went into bankruptcy. After being reorganized, the company tried to become a more offbeat, cheaper version of trendy, youth-oriented stores, especially its fellow Pittsburgh-based rival American Eagle Outfitters. The store has begun to offer clothes that rival The Body Shop (for girls) and Aeropostale (for guys) but for dramatically lower prices. This has caused the company to take off in terms of popularity.
rue21 has been able to keep prices much lower than its competitors while still offering the types of styles that appeal to their target demographic. This has been accomplished by buying from localized manufacturers and avoiding big name designers, and by mixing and matching products. The company has been considered quick to adapt to rapidly changing trends.
| Pittsburgh-based Corporations (Within the Pittsburgh Metro Area) |
|---|
| Pittsburgh-based Fortune 500 Corporations: U.S. Steel | PPG | H.J. Heinz | PNC Financial | Mellon Financial | WESCO International |
| Pittsburgh-based Fortune 1000 Corporations: Allegheny Energy | Consol Energy | Allegheny Technologies | Dick's Sporting Goods | Kennametal | American Eagle Outfitters | Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel | Mylan |
| Pittsburgh-based Forbes Largest Private Companies: 84 Lumber | GNC | Giant Eagle | Sheetz |
| Externally owned, regionally based, and other Pittsburgh corporations: American Bridge | Ampco Pittsburgh | Bayer USA | Calgon Carbon | Dollar Bank | DQE Holdings | Eat'n Park | Federated Investors | FedEx Ground | GlaxoSmithKline | Guru.com | Highmark | iGate | Koppers | Michael Baker | Mine Safety Appliances | NOVA Chemicals | Oxford Development | Pittsburgh Brewing Company | Respironics | rue21 | University of Pittsburgh Medical Center | Vivisimo | Wabtec |
