After opening their first Plus-Only size store in Clovis last year Wet Seal is about to open their second Wet Seal + in Visalia’s Packwood Creek shopping center. The popular teen retailer already has a store in the Visalia Mall that will be unaffected.The new Wet Seal Plus Only store is under construction at 4021 S Mooney near Cameron on the westside of Mooney
Tenant improvements are going in with the contractor needing about 6 weeks to finish up he says, meaning the store will be likely open before this summer.
Last year the retailer, typically located in malls,had announced it would increase its plus-size offerings a their stores that were previously available only on-line. Collections include skirts, sweaters,dresses, belts and more.
Wet Seal has been struggling to earn a profit recently,reporting an operating loss of $27.3 million in the latest quarter after a loss of $25.5 million the same quarter a year earlier.
For the year same store sales declined 4.1%.
CEO John Goodman said a few days ago said that the retailer made “substantial progress” on their “turnaround strategy” that includes “significant opportunity we see in the the plus size market.”
In Packwood Creek shopping center competitor Lane Bryant also is selling plus-size clothes in an existing store.
Center developer Patrick Orosco said “we are pleased to expand the soft goods store lineup at Packwod Creek” noting the shopping center has about a half dozen national apparel stores.