The Edgars comeback is gaining momentum as owner Retailability pursues plans to add 50 stores to the retailer’s South African footprint. Smaller stores are central to the strategy, allowing the business to expand while preserving the shopping experience customers associate with the brand.
In an update reported by BusinessTech on 10 October 2026, Retailability CEO Norman Drieselmann said newly opened stores were meeting the business model targets set for them.
The update provides an early indication of how customers are responding to the retailer’s expansion strategy, which was reported earlier this year.
Smaller stores drive the Edgars comeback
The new-store approach centres on formats of approximately 500 to 600 square metres. These smaller spaces are intended to make the model more affordable while retaining the character of an Edgars store.
For Retailability, reducing the footprint does not mean abandoning the brand’s identity. Drieselmann indicated that customers still need to recognise the experience when they walk through the doors.
He also said early sales performance suggested the new stores were delivering what customers expected.
That balance is important for an established retailer. A familiar name can attract shoppers, but the store still needs to offer a relevant product selection and an experience that encourages them to return.
From business rescue to renewed growth
Edgars was founded in 1929 by brothers Morris and Eli Ross, with its first store opening on Joubert Street in Johannesburg.
Over the following decades, it became a recognisable name in South African fashion retail. However, financial pressure and growing competition later placed the business under strain.
Bain Capital acquired Edcon, Edgars’ parent company, in 2007. Edcon subsequently faced mounting debt, with the COVID-19 pandemic adding further pressure before it entered business rescue in 2020.
Retailability acquired a substantial portion of the Edgars store portfolio during that period, beginning a new chapter for the brand.
The Edgars comeback now centres on building a store network that can support sustainable growth while maintaining the retailer’s position in fashion and beauty.
Fashion and beauty remain the focus
Drieselmann identified fashion and beauty as the foundation of the business and areas where Edgars believes it can gain market share.
This focus gives the expansion strategy a clear direction. Rather than relying on its history alone, the retailer needs to give customers reasons to choose its clothing and beauty offering in a competitive market.
For a longstanding brand, maintaining recognition and improving commercial performance must work together. The smaller-store strategy is an attempt to preserve the former while supporting the latter.
The early results described by management are encouraging, although they do not establish how the full planned rollout will perform.
Online shopping offers another growth opportunity
Physical stores are only one part of the retailer’s growth ambitions.
Drieselmann also pointed to e-commerce as an opportunity, noting that Edgars entered the space later than some competitors. The business therefore sees room to develop its online presence as it catches up.
A stronger digital offering could complement the store network by giving customers another way to browse and purchase.
However, this remains an opportunity for growth. The update does not provide figures showing how much online sales currently contribute to the business.
What the Edgars comeback means for brands
From a brand perspective, Edgars’ strategy illustrates how an established retailer can adapt its operating model while keeping the qualities customers recognise.
Its heritage provides familiarity. Its smaller stores offer a way to bring that familiarity into a different retail format.
The next test will be whether the business can maintain the reported early performance as more locations open. Consistent customer experiences and commercially viable stores will determine how far the recovery can go.
The Edgars comeback also sits within a wider conversation about changing shopping experiences, explored in Pat on Brands’ analysis of the new personal shopper for retail brands. For more on the retailer’s origins and ownership journey, visit Edgars’ official company history.
