The company has no specific plans to locate beyond Canada with retail units "at this time," Margaret Morrison, VP of finance and administration, tells GSR. "We have a wholesale division and have had success with US sales in the past. We believe in the brand," she adds, "and see potential in license or franchise agreements long range. We've had conversations about this, but, currently, it's 'blue sky,' and we're not marketing that concept now."

In addition to its agreement with Sears Canada to supply apparel carrying a "designed exclusively for Sears by Tabi" label in Tabi-fixtured areas of Sears' stores, selections of that apparel will also be in the Sears Canada catalog and online at sears.ca. The Sears' Tabi product, according to Morrison, will not be the same as current merchandise in Tabi stores. "It will consist primarily of previous, but recent best-sellers, re-colored and updated."

"Tabi fits in perfectly with our current portfolio of national and private brands," says Mark A. Cohen, chairman and CEO of Sears Canada. "It is consistent with our ongoing commitment to providing our customers with meaningful brands that offer quality and value."

A big benefit of the Sears Canada agreement, Morrison says, "is placement in Sears' Quebec stores. We don't have stores there, and this will provide a test of Tabi's performance there," potentially adding Quebec to its expansion plans. "The Sears catalog and website will give us exposure in areas of Canada that can't support a store, but represent additional business and brand reinforcement," she adds.

Tabi was founded in 1980 to sell its own designs of moderate-price, casual, classic-style apparel for women under the Tabi brand. Expansion of Tabi's initial footprint to 2,000 sf comes from the need for more room for more Tabi product. "Initially, the focus was concentrated on tops, primarily sweaters and shirts," Morrison says. "Since then, we've added a fuller range of sportswear, including pants, shorts and exclusive lines of Tabi Golf and Tabi Traveler along with accessories." Tabi Woman plus-size apparel is sold in 11 Tabi locations and won't be expanded beyond that, Morrison says.

Accessory business, which includes jewelry, rose 40%, according to Morrison. As a result, "this year, we hired a business manager for accessories. These product additions make the 1,200-sf format just too small."

The Tabi stores, which feature the company's signature blue door, are as clean, crisp and cheery as its apparel. They have light wood floors and fixtures, and merchandise is arranged in easy-to-browse order, which an emphasis on making it easy for shoppers to coordinate wardrobes. They are located primarily in shopping and lifestyle centers within areas with populations of 50,000 or more and annual incomes in the $50,000-plus (about $42,000USD) range.

"Clothing at Tabi is not about trends, but of timeless fashion," the company emphasizes with its concentration on traditional style. Classic T-shirts, which are offered in a large range of colors, currently sell at two for $25 Canadian (about $21USD). A cotton twill jacket sells for $70 ($58.66USD). Tabi is privately held, so annual sales data is not disclosed. Andrea Weiss heads the company as director.