The story behind it: parent company The Gap has decided to take on Chico's and a few other clothing retailers, offering affordable, fashion-conscious apparel for women Baby Boomers.
So you don't have to wade through the media coverage, here are the two best articles I've found about the hubbub:
Generation Gap
(Chicago Sun-Times, Cheryl V. Jackson)
Filling the Gap: (Associated Press, Anne D'Innocenzio)
From Ms. Jackson's article:
For now, Forth & Towne isn't advertising. It's just throwing open the doors Wednesday and waiting to see who pops in.Oh ...... great idea! Just ignore the largest, richest demographic — a generation very much accustomed to being advertised to (and not particularly happy that they're off the radar nowadays) — and one that has always responded well to intelligent, informative advertising.
There are so many ladies I know around my age who've stopped going to malls, stopped physically shopping for clothing (they pour over catalogs and/or order online) because there isn't much out there for them.
But don't let them know about Forth & Towne. Just hope that they pop in.