We went shopping at Dressbarn the day after it announced all of its stores would close and saw why it's fallen behind

Advertisement
We went shopping at Dressbarn the day after it announced all of its stores would close and saw why it's fallen behind

Dress barn clothing racks

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Dressbarn is closing all 650 of its stores.

Advertisement
  • Dressbarn's parent company, Ascena, announced on Monday that it would be closing all 650 Dressbarn stores.
  • We visited a Dressbarn store in New York and found hollow display cases and shelves beginning to empty. Otherwise, it was a tidy and organized store.
  • Dressbarn's outdated clothing, convoluted pricing system, and clunky aesthetic gave us a clue as to why the store may have fallen out of style.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Dressbarn's parent company, Ascena, announced on Monday that it would be closing all 650 Dressbarn retail locations.

Founded in 1962 by Roslyn Jaffe to accommodate the fashion needs of an increasing number of working women, Dressbarn has been hemorrhaging money since 2014.

We visited a Dressbarn store in New York's Financial District to see why Dressbarn fell behind its competitors:

{{}}

The name "Dressbarn" is already painfully reminiscent of a time when barns were a bigger part of the American cultural consciousness. It has aged about as well as hoedowns and black-and-white TV. The word "barn" evokes cavernous spaces filled with hay, cows, and cow pies — more giddy-up than glo-up.

The name "Dressbarn" is already painfully reminiscent of a time when barns were a bigger part of the American cultural consciousness. It has aged about as well as hoedowns and black-and-white TV. The word "barn" evokes cavernous spaces filled with hay, cows, and cow pies — more giddy-up than glo-up.

Speaking of cavernous spaces, Dressbarn's display windows had already started to empty out by the time I arrived on Tuesday.

Speaking of cavernous spaces, Dressbarn's display windows had already started to empty out by the time I arrived on Tuesday.
Advertisement

But for some reason, there was still a hiring ad on the front door. Happiness may have worked here once, but it will soon be in the same boat as the rest of Dressbarn's employees.

But for some reason, there was still a hiring ad on the front door. Happiness may have worked here once, but it will soon be in the same boat as the rest of Dressbarn's employees.

Inspiration, thy name is not the display mannequins at Dressbarn. However, the store was still well-organized and fully stocked, for the most part.

Inspiration, thy name is not the display mannequins at Dressbarn. However, the store was still well-organized and fully stocked, for the most part.
Advertisement

Black slacks as a work uniform may still be standard in some contexts, but they are definitely not as ubiquitous as they were 10 years ago.

Black slacks as a work uniform may still be standard in some contexts, but they are definitely not as ubiquitous as they were 10 years ago.

There were a lot of floral options here. I get that it's nearly summer, but these dresses felt like they were recycling the same ideas. However, this section was very well put-together. The racks were neat, too.

There were a lot of floral options here. I get that it's nearly summer, but these dresses felt like they were recycling the same ideas. However, this section was very well put-together. The racks were neat, too.
Advertisement

These tops were 50% off, but their saccharine floral patterns were nearly indistinguishable from one another.

These tops were 50% off, but their saccharine floral patterns were nearly indistinguishable from one another.

With little to offer other than its 15% off signing bonus, Dressbarn's credit card didn't provide much of an impetus for joining.

With little to offer other than its 15% off signing bonus, Dressbarn's credit card didn't provide much of an impetus for joining.
Advertisement

Here were two more layers of discounts.

Here were two more layers of discounts.

And here was yet another separate loyalty program. How many calculations do you have to do at Dressbarn in order to figure out how much you're actually spending?

And here was yet another separate loyalty program. How many calculations do you have to do at Dressbarn in order to figure out how much you're actually spending?
Advertisement

But wait! There's more! Are DBPerks different from DB dollars? And how does the credit card play into this?

But wait! There's more! Are DBPerks different from DB dollars? And how does the credit card play into this?

Finally, some shoes to take my mind off of the infinite mysteries of Dressbarn's pricing strategy. They were nice shoes, too. These were the first empty-ish shelves I saw in the store, harbingers of the inventory's imminent liquidation.

Finally, some shoes to take my mind off of the infinite mysteries of Dressbarn's pricing strategy. They were nice shoes, too. These were the first empty-ish shelves I saw in the store, harbingers of the inventory's imminent liquidation.
Advertisement

I encountered even emptier shelves on the other side of the store, also stocked with shoes, but in a different layout. Why weren't all the shoes in one place?

I encountered even emptier shelves on the other side of the store, also stocked with shoes, but in a different layout. Why weren't all the shoes in one place?

There was a vacuum cleaner-like humidifier by a mirror.

There was a vacuum cleaner-like humidifier by a mirror.
Advertisement

Even with all of the deals that were happening, the store was mostly empty of shoppers. While I was there, employees spent most of their time idly rearranging racks, which is probably why the racks looked so meticulously organized. The accessory stands by the checkout counter were already starting to look a little lean.

Even with all of the deals that were happening, the store was mostly empty of shoppers. While I was there, employees spent most of their time idly rearranging racks, which is probably why the racks looked so meticulously organized. The accessory stands by the checkout counter were already starting to look a little lean.

The dressing rooms were empty, as was the rack for unwanted clothing.

The dressing rooms were empty, as was the rack for unwanted clothing.
Advertisement

There was a handy-dandy shapewear rack in the dressing room area.

There was a handy-dandy shapewear rack in the dressing room area.

Like its name, Dressbarn's products lag years behind current trends. Its convoluted discount and loyalty system is an ill match for today's Instagram-fueled shopping culture that rewards trendy, simply priced products. Dressbarn may have begun a women's officewear revolution in the '60s, but its time seems to have passed.

Like its name, Dressbarn's products lag years behind current trends. Its convoluted discount and loyalty system is an ill match for today's Instagram-fueled shopping culture that rewards trendy, simply priced products. Dressbarn may have begun a women's officewear revolution in the '60s, but its time seems to have passed.
Advertisement
Next StoryHome Depot is doubling down on tool rentals in a bid to win over pro builders and drive sales