Chico’s Going to Canada in 2014

Chico’s FAS Inc. (Fort Myers, Fla.) has said its plans for 2014 include international expansion and going into smaller U.S. markets.

The first stop will be Canada. Cinny Murray, Chico’s president, told Women’s Wear Daily that the retailer will begin in Toronto, where it has a strong brand presence. “The customer is there,” she said.

She declined to reveal other foreign locations, but indicated that Europe could be in the offing.

While she mentioned New York and Boston as sites for adding new stores and testing new concepts, she also said, “We do well in small markets and destination centers. She can pull right up in her car. We bring fashion to the markets, and in those markets, we are [all there is]. Manhattan, for example, only has two stores, while there are six or seven in Charlotte (N.C.) and we can still get growth out of that market.”