Old Navy to Celebrate its 300th Store Redesign Focused on Improving Customer Shopping Experience

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Old Navy, the Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) brand anchored in fun, fashion, family and value, today announced that it will unveil its 300^th remodeled store in mid-July. The new store format is part of Old Navy’s overarching goal of improving the shopping experience for its target customer, a young mom/non-mom aged 25-35 shopping on a budget for herself and her family, and an important part of the brand’s ongoing strategy to improve top line sales performance.

“these store designs more boldly reflect our personality; more clearly delineate our product categories and consistently outperform the rest of our fleet in sales, with higher customer experience scores in each new community driving her to spend $1-$2 extra per store visit.”

“With almost a third of our fleet remodeled, we are well on our way to completing our vision of transforming Old Navy into what our customers want more of – a fun, convenient shopping experience that showcases our compelling products, all at great prices,” said Tom Wyatt, president of Old Navy.

Wyatt continues, “these store designs more boldly reflect our personality; more clearly delineate our product categories and consistently outperform the rest of our fleet in sales, with higher customer experience scores in each new community driving her to spend $1-$2 extra per store visit.”

Easy, Fun & Sustainable Design Showcases Compelling Product

The new store re-design is grounded in the philosophy of making it easier and more fun for customers to shop Old Navy products. Customers most frequently give feedback that the product looks even more appealing in the new store format. The design features improved visual merchandising with light wood and white shelving, with amazing walls and backdrops that spotlight the different product categories core to Old Navy, such as ‘fundamentals wall’, occasion wear, women’s fashion, toddler boys and girls and a growing area in licensed product called ‘collectabilitees’.

Wyatt continued, “The new race track layout has wider aisles to help moms maneuver strollers as well as lowered fixtures to give her an instant view across the store, so she can plan her shopping experience and browse products with greater purpose, ease and fun.”

Other updated store features include; movement of dressing rooms to center of store from the back, and closer to the cash wrap for more energy, ‘quick fit pods’; additional associates for the fitting rooms and greeters during peak hours. The new stores also have an interactive play area for kids that make it easier for moms to shop leisurely knowing her kids are equally having as much fun as she is. The checkout area has also been revamped with ‘fast lanes’ that feature high volume, complimentary items for the family at great prices such as lunch boxes, Jones soda and other seasonally appropriate merchandise.

Old Navy integrated sustainable practices and features into each design, such as low wattage fluorescent lighting, low VOC paints, low water consumption plumbing fixtures, and recycled materials. The brand is also piloting a construction waste program to divert waste from landfills this year, with plans for this to be standard in most stores by 2012. To date, Old Navy has saved around $2 million a year by implementing low wattage fluorescent lighting in all remodeled stores.

About Gap Inc.

Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, and Athleta brands. Fiscal year 2010 net sales were $14.7 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase in over 90 countries worldwide through about 3,100 company-operated stores, about 175 franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.