For years, Claire’s dominated the mall. For teen and tween girls, it was a go-to destination on every visit, whether for a new piercing or just to browse jewelry priced to match a weekly allowance.
Like so many mall brands, Claire’s lost its cachet and became a shell of its former self. It was no longer a destination—just a low-traffic mall storefront. Last year, the private equity firm Ames Watson took over operations of Claire’s in North America. It shut down about half of the chain’s stores, still leaving about 900 between the U.S. and Canada. And over the past few months, it’s been teasing a strategy that could bring Claire’s back to life.
The retailer has a fresh eye on its target customer: the 10-year-old girl. That means that she’s Gen Alpha—and her mom is a millennial, with fond memories of Claire’s. “We know Mom has so much nostalgia for this brand,” says Claire’s CMO Jillian Cueff, a Walmart and Macy’s alum. “But nostalgia only gets you so far.”
The retailer is overhauling its fleet of stores to turn them into a social media-friendly destination for Gen Alpha. Piercing will happen alongside a selfie mirror, with butterfly clips to hold back girls’ hair. The brand is partnering with YouTubers and Roblox creators. And alongside its affordable jewelry, Claire’s will carry whatever trending products 10-year-olds might want: fidget spinners, squishies, age-appropriate skincare, slime. That assortment will have to change fast. “We know this customer changes her mind 17 times in a sentence, and so what she liked yesterday might not be what she likes tomorrow,” says Cueff.
While Claire’s was struggling, newer piercing competitors entered the market. The chains Studs and Rowan both took market share, but they’re often geared toward an older consumer getting a second or fifth piercing. Claire’s is trying to recapture its glory as the go-to destination for both tween girls and for piercing. “We’re reaffirming our position within piercing, and we’re standing firm in that,” says Cueff.
Its strategy is similar to that of Victoria’s Secret, another mall brand that was fading but had a similar number of stores remaining across North America. Victoria’s Secret
under CEO Hillary Super has doubled down on its authority as the go-to destination for bras and bra fittings—and recaptured some aughts nostalgia—riding that strategy to four consecutive quarters of growth.
Claire’s doesn’t have a CEO right now; it’s being run by Ames Watson with execs Cueff and Carey Brezler leading retail operations. And in a world of social media addiction and Sephora tweens, they want to create an offline, safe space for girls that doesn’t age them up. “So many of our competitors want our customers to age up and buy products for their parents and rush them into adulthood,” says Cueff. “This is a great space that can be made for her where she is right now.”
Emma Hinchliffeemma.hinchliffe@fortune.comThe Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’
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