Collective Brands Announces Retail Development Agreements for Stride Rite Children's Group Brands in New Markets of Indonesia, Thailand and Korea

TOPEKA, Kan., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its international growth strategy to expand the company's global footprint for all its brands and businesses, Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) announced today that its Performance + Lifestyle Group (PLG) has signed new agreements aimed at bringing the premium children's footwear brand, Stride Rite, and its broad kids' brand portfolio to new markets of Indonesia, Thailand and Korea. As part of the agreement for Korea, the company also has a new wholesale distribution agent in the country for the Sperry Top-Sider and Keds adult and kids' brands.

Collective Brands announced today a multi-year licensing and retail development agreement between its PLG unit and MAP ACTIVE, Jakarta, to launch Stride Rite in Indonesia and Thailand.  MAP ACTIVE will open stand-alone Stride Rite retail stores featuring the range of Stride Rite's children's brand portfolio including Stride Rite, Robeez for Stride Rite, Saucony Kids, Keds Kids and Sperry Top-Sider Kids, among others.  MAP ACTIVE will also sell the Stride Rite and Robeez by Stride Rite brands through its industry-leading Kidz Station retail stores and its KidzstationDirect.com  website.  

Stride Rite retail stores will open in the Korean market for the first time later this year through a separate multi-year licensing and retail development agreement with new partner Neo Mio Corporation, Seoul.  Under this agreement Neo Mio will open stand-alone Stride Rite stores that will feature the range of premium children's footwear brands.  Neo Mio will also market and sell Stride Rite and Robeez for Stride Rite through  Stride Rite shop-in-shops and ecommerce throughout the country.  Neo Mio is also the new wholesale partner for Sperry Top-Sider, Sperry Top-Sider Kids, Keds and Keds Kids in Korea and will work to build a strong retail presence for these adult and kids' footwear brands in a range of retail settings across Korea.

"As we continue the expansion of our iconic brands and retail concepts across the globe, we aim to team with  leading companies in each country or region and with these partners, MAP ACTIVE and Neo Mio, we have done just that," said Gregg Ribatt, President and Chief Executive Office of Collective Brands Performance + Lifestyle Group. "We have seen strong global interest for our brands and today's announcements for Stride Rite, Sperry and Keds across three new markets helps us expand our global footprint to better meet the growing international demand."

About Collective Brands, Inc.

Collective Brands, Inc. (NYSE: PSS) is a leader in bringing compelling lifestyle, fashion and performance brands for footwear and related accessories to consumers worldwide. The company operates three strategic units covering a powerful brand portfolio, as well as multiple price points and selling channels including retail, wholesale, ecommerce and licensing. Collective Brands, Inc. includes the Performance + Lifestyle Group, focused on lifestyle and performance branded footwear and high-quality children's footwear sold primarily through wholesaling, with its brands including Stride Rite®, Keds®, Sperry Top-Sider® Robeez® for Stride Rite, and Saucony®, among others; Payless ShoeSource, focused on democratizing fashion and design in footwear and accessories through its nearly 4,500-store retail chain, with its brands Airwalk®, Dexter®, Champion®, Zoe & Zac™, the first-ever affordable green footwear brand, and designer collections by fashion designers Christian Siriano, Lela Rose, Isabel Toledo and Silvia Tcherassi; and  Collective Licensing International, the brand development, management and global licensing unit, with such youth lifestyle brands as Airwalk®, Above The Rim®, Vision Street Wear®, STRIKEFORCE™, Clinch Gear™, Sims®, Lamar® and LTD®, World Snowboarding Championships™ and Hind®. Information about, and links for shopping on, each of the Collective Brand's units can be found at www.collectivebrands.com.

About Mitra Adiperkasa tbk ( MAP )  

MAP Group is a diversified retail marketing company based in Indonesia and  listed on the Jakarta stock exchange.  MAP corporate strategy is to be the leading anchor tenant of all middle and upper income shopping malls in Southeast Asia's largest economy.  MAP reflects retail diversity in Department stores, Fashion & Lifestyle, as well as Sports & Kids.  Some of its exclusive retail concepts include Sogo & Debenhams Department stores, Zara, Marks & Spencers, TopShop, Samsonite, Swatch, Starbucks Coffee, Burger King and Dominos Pizza.

MAP ACTIVE is a division of MAP specializing in encouraging sports & health for every mind & body in Indonesia via  its wholly owned Sports, Kids and AfterSport retail concepts such as Sports Station, Golf House, Planet Sports & Kidz Station. The Stride Rite brand is well aligned with the company's "Fitness 4 Fun" philosophy  that develops the child's health, anatomy and mental equilibrium for a better life.  Stride Rite will help MAP ACTIVE in its goal to  expand its Kidz Station stores beyond 150  locations in the next two years.

MAP ACTIVE numbers over 500 free standing  stores  in Indonesia and aims to double its business volume by 2013.  It is the largest player in Sports, Kids & Health in Southeast Asia.

About Neo Mio

With CEO and President Yong-No Jo, Neo Mio is a well known for successfully introducing and building iconic international footwear brands in Korea. It operates its retail and wholesale business that includes additional well-recognized fashion & sports brands now available in Korea.

SOURCE Collective Brands, Inc.