Mickey May Quit Retail
By George Anderson
On the heels of selling its ownership of the Major League Baseball champion Anaheim Angels, Walt Disney Co. is now reported to be considering closing more stores or perhaps even selling part of its retail store business.
A piece in The Wall Street Journal says, “Since the first Disney Store opened in 1987, the chain has been an icon of Disney’s effort to push its brand beyond movies and into apparel, toys and home furnishings. But while the concept initially was successful, the company in recent years has been shrinking the chain after a vast expansion in the 1990s resulted in more than 520 locations in North America. That store count has been reduced to 387, plus about 160 Disney Stores overseas.”
Moderator’s Comment: What should Disney do with its
retail store business?
The Disney brand is strong and there is a large market
for the company’s products. Disney should just let someone else do the retailing
for it. [George
Anderson – Moderator]
- Disney Stores May Shrink,
Be Sold Amid Difficult Retail Environment – The Wall Street Journal
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