Edgars to open 50 new stores in South Africa – good news for job seekers

Edgars, a well-known South African clothing and beauty store, is planning to open 50 new stores over the next two years. This is a big change because for the past three years, the company was closing some stores and making them smaller to save money and become more profitable. Now, the turnaround plan is working, so Edgars is ready to grow again.

Why are they opening new stores?

The company’s CEO, Norman Drieselmann, says they have a simple plan that takes hard work to follow. They are running the business like a start-up that focuses completely on what customers want. Over the last three years, Edgars made its stores smaller and more efficient. These smaller stores have been doing very well, selling more per square meter and making each customer buy more items. Now, Edgars feels confident enough to bring its stores back to communities where it couldn't operate profitably before.

What does this mean for job seekers?

Opening 50 new stores means Edgars will need to hire many new workers. Jobs could include store managers, sales assistants, beauty consultants, and other retail staff. This is great news for people looking for work in retail, especially in areas where Edgars hasn't had stores recently.

Other brands are growing too

Edgars is not the only brand growing. The company also owns Edgars Beauty, which has 18 stores and plans to open more in the Boland area, like Paarl and Stellenbosch. They are launching a new cellular store called Edgars Connect in July. And their women's fashion brand Kelso just opened a fourth store at Tygervalley and may open more.

A 97-year-old brand with a bright future

CEO Drieselmann says that even though Edgars is 97 years old, it still has a lot of growth ahead. The first new stores will open in July and August, adding to the more than 100 stores Edgars already has across South Africa.

This article was originally published on TimesLIVE.