December 16, 2009
One thing Ann Taylor has long been known for is its offerings of sophisticated business attire for women. So, it stands to reason that as the job market worsens, customer demand for suits drops, too. The chain expects to close 163 of its 935 stores by fiscal 2010, 46 more than the 117 closings announced in January 2008. Even so, the brand is still much beloved by customers; it took first place in the apparel category in Retail Customer Experience's "Best Retail Customer Experiences 2009" survey.