Why Bradenton-based Bealls is rebranding its department stores

Bernadette Berdychowski, Tampa Bay Times
Updated ·1 min read

Bealls Inc. is shifting its strategy both nationally and in Florida by rebranding some of its chains, the Bradenton-based retailer announced this week.

Bealls Department Stores, its brand with stores only in the Sunshine State, will be renamed to Bealls Florida, according to a news release.

The company said it was changing the name of its 68 Florida stores as part of a marketing campaign emphasizing its local roots and to “differentiate” and “distance” itself from national department stores. It also wanted to match the physical shops to their online business beallsflorida.com, which launched with the rise of e-commerce in the 1990s.

In addition, two other brands under Bealls are consolidating.

Burkes Outlet and Bealls Outlet — which have stores across 23 states — will rebrand under the Bealls name by the end of 2023, the release said. The company said the term outlet is “dated” and causes confusion about where their products come from and its quality.

“These changes will allow us to achieve our limitless potential as we continue to compete directly with larger public corporations like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Kohl’s,” said Matt Beall, chairperson and CEO of Bealls, in a statement.

Bealls was founded in 1915 and also owns the chains Home Centric and Rugged Earth Outfitters. When the Bradenton company acquired Stage Stores Inc. in 2020, it gave them the trademark to use the Bealls name in the entire country.