The Limited Expands in Pittsburgh to Satisfy Loyal Consumers' Confident Sense of Style

PITTSBURGH, May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pittsburgh women will now have access to more of the modern, impeccably tailored, on-trend designs offered by The Limited with the official opening of the Ross Park Mall store location.

Bridging a gap for the brand's already enthusiastic customer base, the iconic fashion retailer opens its doors on the upper-mall level at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive.  Currently, there are two other stores that exist in the Greater Pittsburgh area – South Hills Village and Westmoreland Mall.

To commemorate the new store's introduction, The Limited is hosting a grand opening celebration kicking off with an evening of fashion and fun, Thursday, May 12, followed by sale events, raffles and more all weekend long.  In addition, the company plans to donate a percentage of its Saturday sales to Dress for Success Pittsburgh.  Dress for Success Pittsburgh is one of over 150 nonprofit affiliates worldwide, whose mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by helping them look and feel their best to help gain and retain meaningful employment.

"The Limited's mission is to help women achieve personal success – fulfilling their potential and looking great every step of the way," said Linda Heasley, CEO of The Limited. "That's why we're so excited to expand in the Pittsburgh market – and proud to partner with Dress for Success Pittsburgh for our new store in Ross Park Mall."

Kicking off the grand opening weekend in style, Elliot Staples, Head of Design for The Limited, will host a fashion show in Ross Park Mall's center court area on the lower level, Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. to showcase his spring collection and offer commentary on the latest trends and styles.

The evening will conclude with an exclusive in-store, invitation-only event that will feature refreshments, members of The Limited's corporate management team and representatives from the Pittsburgh affiliate of Dress for Success Worldwide.

"We're thrilled to be coming back to Ross Park Mall. It's one of the best malls in the country and we have a very loyal customer base in Pittsburgh.  We're happy to be able to service women in the North Hills area again," said Heasley. "Our strategy for growth includes opening new store locations and in 2011, we're scheduled to open just over 20 stores – which more than double the number of new stores we opened last year."

The Limited, with almost 230 locations nationwide, has seen resurgence in its popularity and is keeping pace with demand across the country with its new store openings.  Pittsburgh has been a priority market for a new store because there has been a void since the Ross Park Mall store closed in January 2008.

"The new store at Ross Park will be just over 5,100 gross square feet, which is consistent with our current ideal store size," said Heasley. "Something unique and exciting about this store is the cash wrap and dressing rooms are located in the center of the store creating a more fluid, social, shopping experience."

All of The Limited's new stores, including Ross Park, will feature a light, bright and upbeat motif.  Other design changes include taupe walls with white cabinets and a 'splash' of red – including the iconic red ceiling in the fitting rooms and cash-wrap area that gives the store a modern look and feel.  Wood flooring has replaced the tile of previous stores to add warmth and comfort, chandeliers and a custom mural on the back wall carry on that residential feeling.  A built in 'runway' allows for visual animation while featuring the latest fashions for inspiration.

"We're really looking forward to sharing our newest store design concept with our customers in the Pittsburgh area, as it demonstrates The Limited's new direction," said Heasley.  "The overall feeling is more feminine, more approachable and more residential in feeling."

The Limited has also added seating for comfort with books and magazines to make for a positive experience for shopping companions. An e-bar with instant access to thelimited.com will ensure the consumer always has access to her size. Online orders placed from the store ship to the customer's home free of charge.  The store has also added more registers and more fitting rooms to better facilitate wardrobing and one-on-one styling.

For more information about the new store locations, sales events, employment opportunities and online ordering, visit www.thelimited.com.

For more information about Dress for Success Pittsburgh, visit www.dressforsuccesspgh.org.  

About The Limited:
Based in Columbus, Ohio, The Limited, an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., is well known as the store concept that began mall-based specialty retailing as we know it. Drawing on more than 45 years of presence in American shopping centers, The Limited is an iconic fashion retailer that offers high-quality, private-label apparel designed to help the modern woman succeed. Design-driven, fashionable styles include suiting, sweaters, dresses, denim, outerwear, and accessories—to suit her lifestyle demands, from workday to weekend. The Limited has almost 230 mall locations throughout the United States. For more information, please visit: www.thelimited.com.

About Sun Capital Partners, Inc.:
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt, and other investments in market-leading companies that can benefit from its in-house operating professionals and experience. Sun Capital affiliates have invested in and managed 200 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $40.0 billion since Sun Capital's inception in 1995. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as affiliates with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Shanghai and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit: www.SunCapPart.com.

About Dress for Success
Dress for Success is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by helping them look and feel their best to help gain and retain meaningful employment. For more information visit  www.dressforsuccesspgh.org.

SOURCE The Limited