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Retail Success in the Sunshine State

May 30, 2011 by Annamaria Turano — Executive Director, MCAworks

What makes a store a local favorite in Florida? Knowing the Florida customer and addressing her lifestyle needs is the answer to Bealls’ success in the Sunshine State. As exemplified in its tagline, “Live the Florida Lifestyle,” Bealls concentrates on serving its target customer with the right products and prices. 

Lorna Nagler, Beall’s President, recently indicated in a May 20, 2011 interview that one of the key strengths is that “Bealls distinctly knows Florida; they know Florida better than anyone else.” To remain competitive, Nagler indicated that Bealls won’t rest on its laurels as she states “we have to be stronger in all parts of the state [Florida]” and that “the consumer continues to change and we have to change with her.”

Known for targeting a middle-aged female consumer with a leisure-focused lifestyle, Bealls appears to be moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” merchandising strategy across their Florida stores as they introduce location-based merchandising strategies which better serve the demographics and psychographics surrounding each location. Nagler points out “we love who our customer is, but we realize we have to attract more customers into our stores.” The expansion strategy should bring in younger consumers, with the goal of building brand loyalty to Bealls at an earlier age.

Weekend sales appear to be a constant for this retailer but winning the price war isn’t necessarily Bealls’ long-term strategy. Nagler stresses that “customers want a deal so we can’t lose sight of quality and price point; we have to have great brands and products for the price.”

Retailers nationwide can learn from Bealls’ sunny success.

About Annamaria Turano

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