Maurices' store makeovers come as the company continues its rapid growth -- 250 new stores in the past five years.
That brings the total number of stores to nearly 900 in the United States and Canada. And the company plans to open 60 more by the end of its fiscal year in July.
New projections for Maurices -- which is owned by the publically-traded Ascena Retail Group -- are for 1,300 stores, including 100 in Canada in the next five to 10 years.
The retail clothing chain will reach another major milestone next summer -- $1 billion in annual sales, says company President George Goldfarb.
"That's a big deal, a billion dollars in retail," he said. "This is huge, a threshold in retail that's a big goal for us."
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It's an amazing company growth story, he said.
"Our growth is really the result of a shared vision -- making people feel good about themselves -- and all of our associates aspiring to it every day," Goldfarb said. "We are able to attract and keep top talent because of our amazing culture and commitment to growing and developing our people. Whenever we ask our associates what makes us unique, it always comes back to the people and a caring culture."
The company's investments in its future growth include its $50 million commitment toward building an office tower in downtown Duluth that will become its new corporate headquarters.
"That's a significant investment in downtown Duluth, because we think it's important to stay in downtown Duluth," Goldfarb said. "That's where we're born and raised."
The 10- to 12-story tower at 425 W. Superior St. -- which probably will bear the Maurices name -- will house Maurices' current 400 downtown employees and 150 more that the company expects to add in the next three years.
The first Maurices store opened in downtown Duluth 83 years ago, and the company has been headquartered there ever since.
