Chico's FAS Overview

In 1983, Marvin and Helene Gralnick opened the first Chico's at Periwinkle Place on Sanibel Island, Florida. Transforming an old 800 square foot tobacco shop, Marvin built counters, shelves, and cubbyholes while Helene designed the Chico's logo. They named the store after Helene's best friend's bilingual parrot, Chico, and began selling specialty folk art products from Mexico. That is how Chico's Folk Art Specialties was born! 

Along with the Mexican folk art, Marvin and Helene tried a small sampling of cotton sweaters from Mexico. The sweaters were such ‘hot' sellers that Marvin and Helene decided to forgo selling the folk art and focus on clothing and related accessories. At first, they marketed other vendors' clothing, then decided they could do it better. Marvin began designing the clothes with Helene and contracting the manufacturing in Mexico. At that point, they shortened the name to what now is Chico's FAS, Inc. Everyone at Chico's worked as a team, and a family atmosphere thrived. 

It wasn't long before Chico's opened its second store in 1985 on Captiva Island, Florida and quickly followed with more. News spread fast about this wonderful Company offering three special commodities: exclusively designed, private-label clothing, amazing personal service, and a warm, boutique atmosphere. This unique and successful mix brought avid, loyal followers. 

By 1992 Chico's had about 60 stores, including franchises, which helped fuel the expansion of Company-owned stores. In March of 1993, Chico's became a public Company, trading on the NASDAQ as CHCS. Eight years later, in April 2001, Chico's was invited to trade on the New York Stock Exchange as CHS. 

In 1994, Chico's 107,000 square foot World Headquarters was built in Fort Myers, Florida. As we grew, so did our headquarters. In 2001, our unique facility expanded to 139,000 square feet. In 2002, Chico's purchased a 235,000 square foot distribution center with offices in Winder, Georgia. The opening of this facility in December 2002 allowed Chico's product to quickly and efficiently get to our stores in order to better service our customer. 

In 2003, Chico's FAS, Inc. acquired White House | Black Market – a privately-held specialty retailer of private-label women's apparel and accessories. Founded in 1985, the first White House | Black Market store opened in Baltimore's Harborplace as a small boutique carrying white – and only white – clothing and accessories for women. The first several years of the Company featured only stores selling all white merchandise. In 1995 the color black was added in a store called "Black Market." Then in 1997 both colors were combined under one roof in what is known as "White House | Black Market." White House | Black Market has become a well known brand that tells a story not just about the two classic colors of white and black, but speaks to a lifestyle and youthful attitude for confident women from their 30s to 50s who value striking, eye-catching, feminine, day to dinner apparel. 

In 2004, Chico's opened its first intimate apparel stores, Soma by Chico's. Soma extends Chico's product line and more completely wardrobes the customer. The Soma product is inspired by and designed for the Chico's customer. Chico's also expanded its distribution center facility in Winder during 2004 and again two years later. 

In 2006, Chico's purchased an additional 200,000 square feet of office space adjacent to its Headquarters for the purposes of expansion. That same year, an adjacent call center to the Winder distribution center was opened to service its direct-to-consumer business for its Chico's, White House | Black Market and Soma Intimates brands. 

In 2009, in order to expand its facilities in Winder, Chico’s purchased a 300,000-square-foot building close to the existing distribution center to house an additional distribution facility. 

In 2010, Chico’s continued with further development by building an additional 36,000 square feet of office space on the main campus in Ft. Myers – our National Store Support Center (NSSC) - as well as renovating existing buildings to accommodate department needs. The Ft. Myers Contact Center was relocated to the main campus as well. 

In the early part of 2011, Chico’s implemented several enhancements to the main campus, including an onsite fitness center, an in-house clinic, and an additional cafeteria, as well as beginning building out space for a future daycare center. 

In September 2011, Chico’s FAS purchased Boston Proper, a leading direct-to-consumer retailer of women's apparel and accessories. Boston Proper provides sensuous, distinctive fashions designed for today's independent, confident and active woman. 

In December 2011, Chico’s FAS broke ground on a 146,000 square foot office building at its National Store Support Center in Ft. Myers, FL. The new building is expected to be complete in January 2013. The first three departments to move into the new building will be Technology, Human Resources and E-Commerce. The new building provides additional growth space for all brand and support positions at Chico’s National Store Support Center. 

Though we have unique brands, we share common vision and values. Chico's 

Our associates are the heart and soul of our company. At Chico’s FAS, Inc, we value our customers, integrity, respect, vibrant spirit, and high performance. We are also committed to providing our customers with exciting merchandise, compelling marketing, and the Most Amazing Personal Service in an enjoyable shopping environment. We invite you to learn more about our organization…The Most Amazing Place to Work, Learn, and Grow.

Values

Customers First 
We are customer-centric: passionate about our amazing personal service.

Integrity 
We expect honesty and trustworthiness 100% of the time.

Respect 
We care about each other, our customers and our business partners.

Vibrant Spirit 
Our entrepreneurial spirit that makes getting things done, productive and fun.

High Performance 
When Chico’s FAS wins, we all win.

Guiding Principles

Most Amazing Personal Service

We treat our customers as friends. We earn their confidence by helping her to look and feel beautiful every day.

We Love What We Do! 
We don’t just make and deliver clothing. We have a passion for fashion.

Most Amazing Place to Work, Learn and Grow 
We constantly coach, encourage, and challenge, guiding our Associates to be the best they can be.

The Chico’s benefits program offers a full range of competitive and comprehensive options for our associates and their families. The Company pays the majority of the cost, to insure that programs are affordable to our associates and meet their diverse lifestyle needs.

Regular Full Time Associates are offered the following programs: 

HEALTH, LIFE AND DISABILITY

• Medical, Rx, Dental and Vision
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Associate Life Insurance, AD&D and dependent life coverage
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Optional Voluntary Benefits

SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

• 401(k) with company matching contributions
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

PAID TIME OFF & WORK LIFE BENEFITS

• Competitive Paid Time Off is offered for holidays, vacation, illness or personal emergency
• Associates are eligible for Tuition Assistance, Adoption Assistance and a full service Employee Assistance Plan
• Chico’s also offers generous product discounts to associates and their families

BONUS OPPORTUNITIES

• All regular full time associates are bonus eligible, with specific programs and goals based on their position.

Part-time associates are able to purchase limited medical, dental and vision coverage and are also eligible for a generous discount on company products.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR NATIONAL STORE SUPPORT CENTER ASSOCIATES:

• On Site Fitness Center: The Viva Verna! Fitness Center offers you the option of an independent work-out or with a Certified Personal Trainer. We also have a variety of classes on-site as well as a lactation room for nursing mothers, massage therapists on-site, nail technicians, and more! 
• Marathon Health Center: Health Services at Work! Our new Health Clinic, which opened May 2011, Offers care for common illnesses and health concerns, free health assessments, and coaching for weight management, smoking cessation, and chronic conditions such as asthma or diabetes.
• The Company Store: Shop our samples and heavily discounted merchandise from all of our brands Tuesday through Friday.
• Bear Rock Café and Catering: Two onsite cafes offering fresh sandwiches, salads, soups and more!
• Associate Services: Convenient on-campus services are offered to associates at our Ft. Myers campus, including auto detailing, dry cleaning, personal package shipping, alterations and custom sewing, ATM access, and fresh cut flowers for purchase.
• Going Green!

  Chico’s FAS, Inc. is committed to reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our associates’ awareness toward environmental issues. Using eco-friendly disposable food containers, plates, bowls, cups and flatware is a positive step toward our goal of being a greener company. In addition, containers have been placed throughout the NSSC campus for the recycling of bottles and cans, paper, and toner cartridges.

In 1983, Marvin and Helene Gralnick began selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters in a small store on Sanibel Island, Florida. Their exceptional service and one-of-a-kind styles connected with customers in a unique way – and Chico’s was born. Chico’s primarily sells exclusively designed, private branded clothing and has served women - millions of women - with a high level of customer service, offering styles that yield a wardrobe that is fashionable, unique, relaxed, figure-flattering, and comfortable.

Today, Chico’s is a hugely successful specialty retailer with more than 590 frontline boutiques and over 70 outlets in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Chico’s also publishes a popular catalog about once a month and offers round-the-clock shopping at www.chicos.com. Chico’s is part of the Chico’s FAS, Inc. family of brands, which also includes White House | Black Market, Soma Intimates, and Boston Proper.

n 1985, The White House, a tiny women’s boutique exclusively offering white and ivory apparel and accessories opened its first retail store in Baltimore, Maryland. Continuing to leverage the elegance and simplicity of a monochromatic theme, Black Market opened its first store in 1995. With the success of both concepts, the two were combined in 1997, when the current White House | Black Market brand was launched. Acquired by Chico’s FAS, Inc. in 2003, White House | Black Market offers chic, sophisticated style apparel and accessories in timeless shades of black and white and occasionally related shades. Throughout the journey, our passion has always been to make women feel beautiful. That’s what we’re about. Our clothing remains a symbol of who we are: the honest simplicity of black and white, and the remarkable individuality of the different styles we build from it.

White House | Black Market currently operates more than 350 frontline boutiques and 25 outlets across the U.S. as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. WH|BM has direct-to-consumer sales through its popular catalog and Web site, www.whbm.com.  White House | Black Market is part of the Chico’s FAS, Inc. family of brands, which also includes Chico’s, Soma Intimates, and Boston Proper.

About Soma Intimates:

Launched under the Chico’s brand umbrella in 2004, Soma initially consisted of ten boutiques, each dedicated to offering supremely comfortable, high quality bras, panties, sleepwear and activewear in a welcoming environment. Its mission was and remains to design and produce merchandise that flatters the body. Soma Intimates boutiques are designed to be a place where lingerie is not just beautiful and sensual, but luxuriously soft and comfortable, and a place where warm, personal service is the mantra. We create products women long for and once discovered, cannot live without. We are revolutionizing women's intimates each and every day with exclusive innovations you can't find elsewhere.

Soma Intimates currently operates more than 150 boutiques, and conducts clearance sales though 16 outlets. Soma publishes its own catalog and includes inserts in selected Chico’s catalog editions. Women can also shop Soma Intimates at www.soma.com. Soma Intimates is part of the Chico’s FAS, Inc. family of brands, which also includes Chico’s, White House | Black Market, and Soma Intimates.

About Boston Proper:

Acquired by Chico’s FAS, Inc. in September 2011, Boston Proper is a leading direct to consumer retailer of women's apparel and accessories. Boston Proper provides sensuous, distinctive fashions designed for today's independent, confident and active woman. The brand focus is about creating a daring, modern style with a sensual feel. Our catalog and online site www.bostonproper.com differentiate Boston Proper with exotic, provocative and inspirational creative that takes the customer away and creates an emotional connection with her individuality and femininity. At Boston Proper, we strive to develop lifetime relationships with our customers, and to deliver quality products and outstanding service.