Four months after acquiring Jean Machine, the new owner of the denim retailer says it plans on "cleaning up" the look of its stores as a part of an effort to woo back customers. Gerry Bachynski, President and CEO of Comark Services says renovations will begin this Fall at some locations in the hope of reinvigorating a company that has been around for 41 years in Canadian retail.
Customers are going to see something different, he added also over the past few years, customers have cast aside jeans in favour of more comfortable leggings and yoga pants. But he thinks denim is poised for a comeback. In 2016, the company saw a resurgence in denim sales, says Bachynski, declining to provide specific sales figures for Jean Machine.
Founded in 1976, Jean Machine has 30 stores in Ontario. Comark's parent company, Vancouver-based Stern Partners Inc., acquired Jean Machine in March for an undisclosed amount after it ended up in bankruptcy protection following years of dwindling sales.
Bachynski, whose firm also oversees a number of other companies including denim retailer Bootlegger, says shoppers gave up on jeans for casual athletic options popularized by brands like Lululemon and the Gap.
