By By KERRY WHIPPLE BEAN – Publisher
Brewton residents were lined up by 8:30 a.m. Thursday, the first day that the new Peebles store opened.
Inside, the staff mingled with guests at a breakfast reception and waited to greet customers with a free gift and a smile as the store celebrated its grand opening.
Peebles, which took over for B.C. Moore's, remodeled the store next to Southern Family Markets.
District Manager Ronny Miley thanked the employees for their hard work getting Peebles ready for its opening. All of the employees from B.C. Moore's, which closed earlier this summer for remodeling, continued with Peebles.
Store manager Michael Stanley said he appreciated the store employees hard work.
Peebles, a division of Houston-based Stage Stores Inc., opened seven stores across Alabama Thursday. Stage bought the 78 B.C. Moore's stores in February for $37 million, noting the purchase was part of a strategy to expand into small markets.
Only nine of the B.C. Moore's stores were closed.
Merchandise in the store includes brand-name clothing, home furnishings, shoes and cosmetics.
A large display case with jewelry and cosmetics greets customers as they walk in the door. Brand names include Tommy Hilfiger, Rafaella, Liz Claiborne, Elizabeth Arden, Guess, Dockers, Nautica, South Pole, Chaps, Jockey, Levi's, Carter's Nike and Clarks.
Peebles opened in Alabama just in time for a sales tax holiday. State and municipal sales taxes in Escambia County have been suspended through today, with just a 1-cent county tax assessed on articles of clothing under $100. Most school supplies and computer purchases under $750 are also exempt under the sales tax holiday, which is designed to ease the pain of back-to-school shopping for families.