Kohl’s Corp. on Tuesday announced the second wave of “Sephora at Kohl’s” openings, including eight in southeastern Wisconsin.
Sephora‘s 2,500-square-foot shop-in-shop beauty boutiques will open this year at Kohl’s stores in Delafield, Muskego, Oak Creek, West Allis, Greenfield, Sheboygan, Waukesha and West Bend. Those locations join Glendale, Brookfield, Grafton, Menomonee Falls, Kenosha and Mount Pleasant, which were part of the first wave of Sephora openings in Kohl’s stores last year.
The Menomonee Falls-based retailer debuted its partnership with the San Francisco-based beauty retail giant last fall in 200 stores and online. Tuesday’s announcement adds 400 stores, spanning 36 states. Kohl’s said the partnership is on track to reach its goal of 850 stores by 2023.
Kohl’s has a total of 1,162 store location in 49 states, including 20 in southeastern Wisconsin. Fourteen of those will have Sephora shops by year’s end.
“The quick and vast rollout of Sephora at Kohl’s is a testament to how much we believe in this partnership and making prestige beauty more accessible to people everywhere,” said Doug Howe, chief merchandising officer at Kohl’s. “We’re excited to grow and bring this elevated beauty experience to more of Kohl’s existing and new customers this year.”
With its ongoing expansion, Sephora at Kohl’s will add six new beauty brands to its assortment this spring: Murad, Clarins, Jack Black, Living Proof, Versace, and Voluspa.
The beauty partnership is a key element of Kohl’s current long-term growth strategy, which seeks to reinvent its women’s category and attract a younger customer base. It’s all part of ongoing efforts to adapt to an ever-changing — and challenging — apparel retail environment.
During the company’s most recent Q3 2021 earnings call, CEO Michelle Gass said the Sephora partnership had little impact on the quarter given its timing, but the company is pleased with the early results.
Other notable new partner brands at Kohl’s include Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, Eddie Bauer, TOMS, and Dodgeville-based Lands’ End.
The retailer’s strategy has come into question by activist investor Macellum Capital Management, which owns a 5% stake in Kohl’s and wants to overhaul the company’s board of directors. It recently nominated a slate of 10 director candidates for election at the retailer’s 2022 annual meeting this spring. The move followed Kohl’s rejection of two purchase offers, one for $64 per share and the other for $65 per share, and adoption of a shareholder rights plan or “poison pill” to prevent a hostile takeover.
Kohl’s plans to give a full update on its turnaround plans at its March 7 investor day and is to release its fourth quarter 2021 earnings on March 1. Shareholders will vote at the 2022 Annual Meeting on a date yet to be announced.
