July 17, 2012 — Morehead’s Fashion Bug store in the Kroger Center is closing its doors.
The Ascena Retail Group, Inc., a specialty retailer for women and “tween” girls, announced last month it had acquired Charming Shoppes, Inc., which operated more than 600 Fashion Bug branded stores, all of which will be closing.
Ascena owns nearly 2,600 branded clothing stores operating as Dress Barn, Justice, and Maurices.
Megan Littleton, Fashion Bug’s local manager, says everything is still up in the air.
“We don’t know the last day we will be open but we do know that all Fashion Bug stores will be closed by February 2013,” she said Monday.
It has been reported that at least half of the Fashion Bug locations will be replaced by one of the Ascena Retail Group brands.
Ascena is based in Suffern, N.Y., and last year reported sales of more than $2.8 billion.
“We haven’t been told if one of their branded stores will replace our location or not, everything is still being decided,” Littleton added.
Fashion Bug, founded in 1960, built its reputation as a low-priced retailer for younger women and teenagers.
The Morehead store has been a fixture in the Kroger Center and its predecessor Trademore Center for more than 30 years.
