Saturday, April 18, 1998BYLISA BIANK FASIG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Some retail groups aren't masking their concern about a proposed piece of legislation that would affect many off-priced retailers.
A bill pending in the U.S. Senate, introduced by Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., would reclassify certain imported costumes and play sets as "wearing apparel." This would subject them to import fees and quotas that some in the industry feel would eliminate the items' entry into the United States. A similar bill is pending in the House.
"I know that it's like one or two products that have got some people very nervous," said Robin Lanier, as spokeswoman for the International Mass Retail Association (IMRA), which opposes the bill.
"It's a low-cost product that would really cease to exist." Ms. Lanier refers to inexpensive costumes -- the ones with the plastic masks -- that generally sell around Halloween for less than $10. But dress-up play sets, such as doctor and nurse sets, could also be affected.
Retailers have urged the IMRA to began a campaign against the bill, Ms. Lanier said. A spokeswoman for Target stores, for instance, said the retailer opposes the bill because it could raise the prices on the products.
If the bill does pass, it would subject the items made overseas to duty fees as high as 30 percent of the item's wholesale cost; the average duty for apparel is 17 percent. That could translate to several dollars a costume, Ms. Lanier said. If manufacturers and importers pay the expense, it will likely be passed on to consumers. But the greater concern is that by moving the products into the apparel category, the government is subjecting them to import quotas -- apparel is the only manufactured product governed by import quotas.
Each country controls its own quotas, normally trying to import the items of greater expense. If costumes are categorized as pajamas or other clothing, the countries are not likely to change the quota to accommodate them.
Play sets would also face the quota problem, meaning that kits would need to be separated into the apparel and the toys. Consider a doctor's kit -- the doctor's jacket would have to be imported separate from the first aid kit.
Eichelbaum to discuss retail in Middle East
Cincinnati businessman Stanley Eichelbaum is off to the Persian Gulf to talk retail.
Mr. Eichelbaum, president of downtown-based Market Developments Inc., will be keynoter at the fourth annual Middle East Council of Shopping Centers Convention in Bahrain. It runs from todaythrough Monday.
His selection probably has something to do with some of Marketing Development's projects out east. The company is providing development planning, feasibility and marketing for the renovation and expansion of the Mall of Egypt in Cairo, and the Al Ghurair Centre, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
What to speak of in sandy environs? As often is the case, the future. Mr. Eichelbaum's speech is titled "Maturing the Shopping Center for the Retailing Millennium." He'll also conduct a seminar on maximizing shopping center performance.
GTE Wireless adds 11 retail partners in area
GTE Wireless is further expanding its Greater Cincinnati retail operations, having contracted with 11 additional companies that extend it to more than 130 locations. The retailers are Network Paging, Pageworld, Pike Pagers, CinCity Communications, Onyx Communications, New York Fashions Variety Store, Hair it is Salon, Shell in Fort Thomas, Data-Sat, DSS Installation and Global Page.
GTE has more than 120 locations in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton, Ohio, through retail partners, plus it operates 10 of its own stores.
Tri-County Gymboree opens in new digs
Children's clothing retailer Gymboree todaycelebrates the opening of its relocated store in Tri-County Mall -- a store that actually opened at the end of March.
The Burlingame, Calif.-based retailer has moved the store to the main corridor between McAlpin's and Lazarus, to a site almost triple in size at 2,800 square feet. It represents a new look among Gymboree stores that have opened or been renovated in 1998.
Gymboree also operates clothing stores in Florence and Kenwood.
Victoria's Secret offers personal consultants
For those downtown workers too busy to pick out their own underwear, Victoria's Secret in Tower Place is offering a personal lingerie consultant program.
Clients can place a foundation order between 9 and 10 a.m. weekdays and pick up the order during business hours.
