storewanderer wrote: ↑August 15th, 2020, 12:10 pm
They didn't advertise much (they had a loyalty card of some kind and sent coupons out from it). I don't think there was much of a cross between the customer at this store and Ross/Marshalls. The cross here was with mainline department stores like a Macy's or a Kohls. This was an upscale "off price" retailer and they ran coupons and discounts many weekends. This did not operate anything like a Ross or Marshalls. No kids clothing (well, they have some now for the liquidation sale but didn't have it before) so completely shut out families shopping. You rarely saw any kids in that store... very peaceful shopping environment.
I think at one time Steinmart did sell kids clothing. I can remember one year my grandmother wanted to get me some clothes for back to school, and we went to one of them. This was probably way back in 1997 or so, but I seem to remember the store seemed rather old, I can vaguely remember those old chrome turnstyles at the front like an old Eckerd Drug had. Anyway apparently the prices were too high for my grandparents because they looked at the tag on one shirt and we left very quickly after.
Steinmart must have been concentrated around more Northern FL or something as there aren't any around here that I'm aware of. I can't remember where the one we went to was, since I was so young but I'd guess it was in Lakeland.
Bealls Outlet, I've noticed seems to be much more widespread than Steinmart. They always seem to have stores in just about any town that is big enough to have a shopping center. Though they do have stores in larger towns too, like mine, which also has a regular Bealls department store. Ironically the Bealls Outlet in my town is actually inside the original Bealls store that was built in the 1960s, before the Bealls moved into the mall in the early 90s, and the Outlet moved in probably almost immediately if not by 1994.
My other grandmother always loved Bealls Outlet because it was the only clothing store in her little town so she could drive there herself. Her town was big enough to have a Publix, but not a Walmart.
I've seen few commercials for Steinmart but even less for Bealls Outlet... Isn't there another chain called Burkes Outlet in other states that uses a similar logo to Bealls?
Bealls Outlet does seem to be popular with the older ladies but they do sell things for young men and kids too. They have a lot of the things people in small towns and coastal areas seem to like. They have one day of the week where 55+ can get a discount and then on Fridays everyone else can get a discount with their One Card.