INSIDE | BUSINESS
Express To Enter Central And South America

Express,  a leading U.S. men's and women's specialty retail apparel chain operating over 600 stores, today announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a franchise agreement with Fastco Commercial S.A., a retail franchise operator led by a management team with over 30 years of experience operating retail franchises in Central and South America.



The agreement provides an opportunity to open more than 30 Express stores over a five year period in Panama, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

The company expects there will be up to three Express locations open in Panama, Peru, and Costa Rica by the end of the fourth quarter.

The product assortment in these locations will resemble that of the U.S. stores with moderate seasonal adjustments. The stores are expected to have the same new store design that Express is rolling out in the U.S.

"This is another exciting step in Express' international expansion strategy, particularly with such an experienced partner," said Michael Weiss, president, chairman and CEO, Express, Inc. "Express' fashion forward product offering is perfectly aligned with the Latin American consumer's preference for fashion, fit and color. The Hispanic population in the U.S. has demonstrated a passion for Express and we look forward to expanding that passion throughout Central and South America," he added.