Retailer J.C. Penney is hoping some of Tinker Bell's pixie
dust will attract parents and their children into its recently launched Disney
shops inside some 565 stores nationwide.
Penney's had been selling select Disney merchandise on its website since
early September and now has cut the ribbon on Disney shops as part of its
redesigned children's department.
Photo by Paul Perrello
There is no mistaking the Disney footprint. At the J.C. Penney store at the Franklin
Mills Mall in Philadelphia, as soon
as you arrive in the children's department there is a larger than life Mike
Wazowski in the middle of the Disney shop welcoming children and their parents
to browse the merchandise.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
While selection is limited to items such as toys like plush
Disney characters and action figure playsets to princess dolls and children's
apparel, merchandise is limited to its 800 to 1,000 square feet of staging
space. What is particularly appealing is
the price. Under the arrangement
Penney's can sell Disney merchandise that one would find in its theme parks at
discounted prices. Small character
figure sets regularly priced at $12 are two for $10 and $8 Mickey and Minnie
plush are two for $7.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
The one-eyed Wazowski and some of his Monstropolis friends
are currently center stage as Penney's and Disney prepare for the DVD
release of "Monsters University
"
on October 29th. Plans are
already on the drawing board for Disney's upcoming holiday release "Frozen" to
be featured in the shop closer to the Thanksgiving weekend premiere of the
movie. Characters like Olaf, Anna and
Elsa are waiting their turn to debut center stage at the retailer.
Photo by Paul Perrello
Or in the case of the Disney store that I visited at the
Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia,
the Disney-Pixar's Monsters Mash.