Gymboree to make retail comeback online and in stores
The Gymboree brand is being revived — by a former rival.
The Children’s Place plans to relaunch Gymboree in early 2020 with an enhanced website and shop-in-shop locations in more than 200 Children’s Place stores in the U.S. and Canada. Gymboree Group filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, saying it would close all its stores. In March, The Children’s Place paid $76 million to acquire the rights associated to the Gymboree brand and its value-oriented Crazy 8 brand. (Gap bought the intellectual assets of Gymboree’s upscale Janie and Jack chain.)
The Children’s Place plans to launch an enhanced loyalty program for Gymboree that will reward customers for every purchase. It will also provide members with special offers on their childrens’ birthdays, exclusive access to bonus events and opportunities to earn extra points.
“We have embarked upon an exciting journey to bring this iconic brand back to the loyal Gymboree customers, who continue to voice an unrivaled passion and affinity for it,” said Jane Elfers, president and CEO, The Children’s Place, which operates some 960 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. “We are thrilled to be able to revitalize bow-to-toe collections that create magical childhood moments. We are making every effort to meet her high standards for curated and elevated product and eagerly anticipate welcoming her back to the Gymboree brand.”
The new Gymboree e-commerce site will offer access to all Gymboree collections, with an option to shop by collection. It will also offer a shared online basket to streamline checkout processes and shipping. Additionally, all online purchases will now include a “free shipping, free returns, everyday” policy, with no minimum purchase.
The Gymboree in-store shops will launch in tandem with the brand’s new website,
“We believe a multichannel offering combining an enhanced online shopping experience with inviting in-store locations will best serve long-standing Gymboree customers, and also welcome a new generation of moms to the iconic brand,” said Claudia Lima-Guinehut, senior VP, global merchandising. “The goal is to provide a Gymboree brand experience that reconnects mom to the branded product that she loves, and also provides her with enhanced capabilities she’s come to expect from best-in-class, omnichannel retailers.”