Kohl's Makes Grab for Market Share

As Holiday Season Nears, Retailer Opens More Stores And Plans Aggressive Discount Pricing

Kohl's Corp. is opening 46 stores Wednesday as part of an aggressive effort to take market share from competitors just as the holiday season gets under way and U.S. consumer spending is stagnating.

"We've been in a period now for over a year where the customer is shopping less," says Kevin Mansell, who became chief executive of the Menomonee Falls, Wis., retailer in August. "You'd better start figuring out how you're going to take more from the other guy."

The middle-market chain, which competes head-on with J.C. Penney Co. plans to open a total of 75 new stores in 2008, Mr. Mansell says. After the new openings this fall, which include one more in November, the total Kohl's store count will be 1,004, or just shy of J.C. Penney's 1,083. . . . more