London business looks to expand beyond the mall

By KEIKO MORRIS. Marking its first anniversary at the Roosevelt Field mall, Radley London's U.S. flagship store has prepped the brand for future expansion in the states, Radley's chief executive said.. "The rationale is that this is a local mall and the demographic is definitely the demographic we'd want to go after," said Sven Gaede, head of the moderate-priced handbag and accessories company.. "We can learn the idiosyncrasies of the American versus U.K. business, so when we step out into the big and expensive world of New York [City], we've done all our learning.". If the company had opened its first store in SoHo or on Madison Avenue, half of the consumers would be an international crowd or tourists, and Radley is interested in learning about the American consumer - the sort that could be found at Roosevelt Field, Gaede said. They opened the store in August 2009.. In addition, Radley, which is known for the rich and vibrant colors of its leather styles, can test its performance in the United States against competitors like Coach and Cole Haan, which are nearby in the mall, he noted. Gaede anticipates opening another location - possibly a pop-up store or a permanent shop - within another year to 18 months.. "You want to get the formula right before you start expanding," he said.. Launching the brand's flagship U.S. shop during a time when consumers are deliberating long and hard over every purchase requires patience, Gaede said. But the customers who have bought items at the store have proved to be loyal, repeat customers, said Janice Suarez, store manager.. In the meantime, the company plans to continue expanding its presence at department stores such as Lord & Taylor, where at the beginning of August sales were up by 15 percent compared to last year.. Radley London is also selling at select locations of Dillard's, the Little Rock, Ark.-based department store chain, and at Bettina Duncan at Fred Segal, a boutique located within Fred Segal, the iconic California-based retailer known for its celebrity clientele.. Radley launched its e-commerce site in February.keiko.morris@newsday.com.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,September 1, 2010

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London business looks to expand beyond the mall

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