Shabby Chic founder plans up to 60 U.S. stores

LOS ANGELES — Home furnishings supplier and retailer Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic said


it plans to open nearly 60 U.S. stores in the next five years on top of the six it currently has open.
Some of the markets targeted by the brand are Austin, Tex., Natick Mass., and Philadelphia, the company said in a release. Its existing stores are in New York, Chicago, and Santa Monica, Malibu, San Francisco and Newport Beach, Calif.
More stores are planned for international markets, though the company didn’t release details.
The company, led by designer and entrepreneur Rachel Ashwell, hired B|W|R Public Relations to head a marketing campaign for the 18-year-old brand as it prepares for the aggressive expansion plan.
In addition to its six stores, Shabby Chic distributes home furnishings to more than a dozen in-store boutiques and hundreds of retailers. Target stores sell the spin-off Simply Shabby Chic brand.
Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic’s product line includes slipcovered furniture, bedding, sleepwear and accessories for adults and infants, among other things.