MARKS & SPENCER DUMPS WOMEN'S FASHION CHAIN
By Adnews Staff
The Comark company is buying money-losing womenswear chain D'Allaird's from Toronto-based Marks & Spencer Canada. The deal is expected to close on March 30. Comark officials have been unavailable to comment on who will handle advertising for the chain, or if any will be done. D'Allaird's ad account is with Grey Retail of Toronto but no advertising has been run for the chain since 1994. Strategic Objectives of Toronto handles public relations for Marks & Spencer, including D'Allaird's. Marks & Spencer is selling D'Allaird's so it can concentrate on its department store and food operations in Canada, carried on under the Marks & Spencer banner. The 85-store D'Allaird's chain carries mid-price items for older women. In recent years D'Alliard's has been trying to improve its image by renovating stores and carrying more fashionable merchandise to attract a broader range of shoppers. It has also closed 30 stores. Comark is owned by the Brenninkmeyer family. It operates clothing chains such as Irene Hill, Bootlegger, Just Petites, Dockside and Young Canada.