Where Big Designers Lower Their Prices : Fashion: Shoppers with a weakness for Anne Klein jewelry or Ralph Lauren shoes can save as much as 70% in Barstow’s outlet stores.
Bargain hunters who have grown jaded with their neighborhood shops may want to consider Operation Desert Deals, or, as it is more commonly known, Factory Merchants Outlet Plaza in Barstow.
The open-air, Southwestern-inspired plaza sits on a desert plain surrounded by dramatic, sand-dusted (and occasionally snow-covered) hills. About two hours northeast of downtown Los Angeles, the plaza is the site of 50 manufacturer-owned stores where price tags read 20% to 70% off retail. Although more than half of the stores feature clothing and accessories, a handful sell toys, hardware or housewares.
The best reason to go to Barstow? Accessories. The selection of high-end costume jewelry is exceptional, and the shoe offerings are reason enough to make the trip. Sportswear and office garb also are plentiful.
What’s more, service in the Barstow shops is remarkably efficient. At Ralph Lauren’s factory store, for instance, employees will check stock and set aside appropriate selections for customers who call ahead and make appointments. And the center is aesthetically pleasing, with park benches and landscaping.
The trickiest part of shopping for bargains is figuring out real savings. Although most shops feature regular and reduced prices on the same tag, others list only the discount price. Some stores display signs reflecting the general savings--usually a range in percentages--at their doors or checkout counters.
Although many outlets feature current merchandise, others are stocked with garments from past seasons, and some have both.
Some outlets offer perfect merchandise, while others mix standard fare with irregulars, items that are slightly damaged and marked down (a pair of dotted mens’ socks may feature interruptions in patterns). As is the case in any shopping situation, buyers should carefully examine the merchandise.
Label-conscious consumers will no doubt make a beeline for Ralph Lauren Polo. It’s No. 49 in the outlet brochure--available in most of the stores--although the designer’s name does not appear in the directory. The Ralph Lauren organization, like many others, keeps its outlet operation as low key as possible to avoid antagonizing retailers that offer its merchandise at full price.
The store is almost as gorgeous as any of the regular Polo shops. The bargains ranged from so-so to terrific. Men’s standard solid-color cotton Polo shirts, with the famed equestrian insignia, regularly $27, were $22.99. A rack of men’s suits and tuxedos were priced at $299 each. Regular prices differed, but one pin-striped suit in navy wool featured an original price tag of $900.
The shop also featured a wide selection of women’s shoes. Sample prices include $129 flats in an ivory, cranberry and navy color combination, regularly priced at $178. A pair of crocodile loafers with a pewter ornament were priced at $564, down from $1,200.
Lauren home fashions (linens and towels) as well as furniture (at last check, all pieces were sold out) also are sold here. As in the standard Polo shops, service at the outlet store is excellent.
Costume jewelry collectors will have a field day at the center.
Swank, stocked with a variety of accessories, had several pieces from the Anne Klein Couture Collection featuring au courant matte gold finishes. Particularly noteworthy were the fish skeleton earrings selling for $22, regularly $75.
More jewelry bargains are housed inside Designer Brands Accessories. The most intriguing item was the triple-strand pearl necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane often worn by First Lady Barbara Bush. Sold regularly for $95, the necklace was priced at $66.50.
Evan-Picone/Gant offers an array of men’s and women’s fashions. Recent Gant sportswear values included a men’s short-sleeved royal-blue sport shirt, regularly $45, for $29. A long-sleeved knit rugby-style shirt, regularly $52, was $34. Pinpoint cotton oxford shirts, regularly $54, were $34.99.
In the Evan-Picone section, regular, petite and large sizes were fully represented. A red wool crepe blazer and tailored A-line skirt from Evan-Picone Woman, the company’s large-size line, was priced at $109, down from $186.
Inside John Henry and Friends, shoppers will find dress shirts for men bearing the Henry label and Perry Ellis America sportswear for women. A suede jeans-style jacket, regularly $298, was marked down to $209. A pair of matching walking shorts was slashed to $105, down from $150. A smattering of Anne Klein II merchandise was also featured.
Outlets centers are relatively new to California. According to Elysa Lazar, publisher of the New York-based Outlet Report, an annual guide to outlet stores around the country, outlets first appeared 50 years ago at manufacturing centers in the Northeast. Soon after, larger, free-standing outlets opened near distribution centers nationwide. Savvy developers soon tapped the money-making potential of combining several outlet stores under one convenient roof.
In general, outlets continue to be owned by manufacturers. Although Lazar believes that convenient in-town shops and department stores will never be rendered obsolete, outlets--typically 20 to 30 miles from urban areas--have made impressive gains in the retail market.
“Who knows what will happen to the retail industry?” Lazar says. “Some of these manufacturers and designers are waiting 60 to 120 days to get paid from retail stores. By operating their own outlet centers, they don’t have to wait an entire billing cycle to get paid. They have complete control over sales and merchandising, plus they eliminate the middle man. That adds up to savings for shoppers and a larger profit margin for themselves.”
Not to mention, in the case of the Barstow center, an interesting pit stop on the way to Las Vegas. Noting that the center is midway between Los Angeles and the gambling mecca, some merchants told stories of gamblers who have tried to return merchandise for cash on the way home from unsuccessful sprees. True shopaholics may never make it to Vegas; the mall clearly represents a better investment return.
SHOPPING TIPS
What you should know before motoring to Barstow:
* A car trip from downtown Los Angeles takes about two hours each way, so “Lookie Lous” who rarely buy are better off cruising local malls. The address of Factory Merchants Outlet Plaza is 2837 Lenwood Road, Barstow, Calif. 92311; (619) 253-7342. To get there, take I-15 north toward Las Vegas and exit on Lenwood Road. Signs will guide you.
* Stores are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, but it’s best to go early in the week. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, parking gets difficult but is not impossible, spokeswoman Lisa Wingate says.
* Pick up a center directory instead of wandering aimlessly; the brochures are available in many of the stores.
* Some shops have mysterious names--owners don’t want to antagonize department and specialty stores.
* Most of the outlet stores accept credit cards, but some have minimum purchase requirements. Some stores post check minimums near the cash register. Many will take returns by mail; others offer store credits. Before buying, check the store’s policies.
* An on-site deli is available to satisfy not-too-particular palates. A number of fast-food shops and a coffeehouse are within walking distance. There are no nearby trendy eateries, so discriminating diners are advised to pack a more memorable, movable feast.
* A bus is available for those who prefer to leave the driving to others. Buckita Benson, owner of Outlet Shopping Tours, offers a round trip for $24. Benson suggests shopping strategies and provides riders with maps, refreshments en route and plastic bags so each rider can keep track of his or her loot. The next five-hour tour: May 18, departing from the South Bay area. For more information on Outlet Shopping Tours, call (213) 372-9930.
BEST BETS
Ideal buys in Barstow: accessories (particularly jewelry and hosiery), sportswear and career wear, activewear, serious office footwear and preppy offerings (Lauren’s outlet).
What you won’t find: fine jewelry, wedding gowns, prom dresses or a large sampling of women’s eveningwear.
The best of the Barstow stores (in alphabetical order):
* Designer Brands Accessories.
* Evan-Picone/Gant.
* John Henry and Friends.
* Leading Designer Outlet (a.k.a. Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Outlet).
* Swank.
DESERT DISCOUNTS: Barstow is home to the Factory Merchants Outlet Plaza, a collection of 50 stores owned by manufacturers like Ralph Lauren.
