How Intermix Rebranded
Over its 15-year history, Intermix has grown into a multi-line boutique chain with locations across the United States.
When Intermix’s 15th anniversary passed in 2009, co-founder and Chief Executive Khajak Keledjian thought it was time to take a critical look at his company. He hired a focus group that frankly told him his merchandise seemed to be focused toward a sophisticated crowd, but the store’s ambiance, logo and some other features seemed to be geared to younger women.
This lack of consistency convinced him it was time to overhaul his fleet of 24 stores and start on a “rebranding” effort, which is wrapping up this summer. In California, the rebranding campaign featured the remodeling of the Intermix store on Los Angeles’ Robertson Boulevard, which was completed earlier this summer.
The rebranding effort ranged from changing the retailer’s logo, store fixtures and layouts to revamping Intermix’s merchandising. The chain cut back 25 percent of its styles.
“It used to be overwhelming,” Keledjian said of the fashion choices at the store. “We focused on narrowing down the styles from each vendor. We tried to better balance emerging designers and established brands. We cut back on our varieties, but we bought deeper in the product we love.”
The change in merchandising has paid off. Keledjian said his 2010 same-store sales increased when compared with the privately held chain’s peak years of 2007 and 2008. The same-store sales increased by a double-digit percentage, according to the Intermix chief executive, but he declined to give the exact amount.
With the rebranding campaign almost done, Intermix will be scouting for more locations for new stores—including, possibly, Las Vegas.—Andrew Asch
