Blair Folds 220 Hickory into Womenswear Book

Warren, PA–It has not been a good fall for catalog spin-offs. Just days after Freeport, ME-based L.L. Bean announced that it was shutting down womens apparel title Freeport Studio, Blair Corp. (Amex: BL) says it will stop mailing its spin-off 220 Hickory spin-off catalog, and instead roll pages from 220 Hickory into the core Blair Womenswear catalog by next April.

The book, which started out as an in-house product line in 1993, later targeted younger, more upscale female customers as a spin-off catalog, launching this past spring. “The labeled 220 Hickory product line of women’s apparel will continue to be an important part of our outreach to a younger customer audience and enhance our core Womenswear Blair catalog,” said president/CEO John Zawacki in a statement. “While this specialty book successfully generated activity and revenue from our target market, the investment required for its long-term growth can be better allocated to other marketing and operational priorities at the present time.”

Blair, which also mails the Crossing Pointe catalog, plans to reevaluate 220 Hickory as a separate title in the future as economic conditions improve, Zawacki added.