Retail stores may offer luxury shopping

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
YOU'RE OFF ON A BARGAIN QUEST AT A SUPERSTORE. YOU MENTALLY PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE BARE HARD FLOORS, THE DRIFTING FROM AISLE TO AISLE, THE SEARCH THROUGH RACKS OF CLOTHING, OH YES, WHERE WERE THOSE REST ROOMS?
YOU ARRIVE TO FIND SOFT, CORAL-COLORED WALLS, CARPETING, A MAKEUP ARTIST AT THE COSMETICS COUNTER, CLEARLY MARKED CLOTHING RACKS AND DRESSING ROOMS WITH SOFT CHAIRS. IS IT A DREAM?
YES. BUT SUCH PERKS COULD BE HEADED TO A RETAILER NEAR YOU. WITH LUXURY SHOPPING THE MOST SUCCESSFUL END OF THE APPAREL INDUSTRY, THE MASS MERCHANDISERS WHO BANK ON BARGAIN PRICES ARE TRYING TO PROJECT AN UPSCALE IMAGE.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYS SOME RETAILERS ARE SPRUCING UP TO ATTRACT THE MIDDLE- AND UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS CUSTOMERS WHILE OFFERING BARGAINS AT THE SAME TIME.
WAL-MART HAS BOOSTED FASHION OFFERINGS AND JOINED HIGH-END DESIGNERS ON NEW YORK'S FASHION WEEK SCHEDULE. THE RETAILER IS RUNNING LIFESTYLE ADS IN VOGUE MAGAZINE AND ON TELEVISION AND TRYING TO MAKE STORES APPEAR LESS CLUTTERED.
FEDERATED'S DEPARTMENT STORE, MACY'S, COMING SOON TO KANSAS CITY, IS ADDING WIDER AISLES AND SOFAS AND TELEVISION SETS IN DRESSING ROOMS, WSJ SAYS. AND BATH AND BODY WORKS WANTS TO BE A PLUSH BEAUTY BOUTIQUE.