Abercrombie & Fitch begins store reopenings as lockdowns ease

(Reuters) – Abercrombie & Fitch Co has begun reopening stores in parts of the world where lockdown restrictions have eased, the company said on Wednesday, as more retailers chart out paths to recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic upended businesses.

Abercrombie closed all its stores in North America, Europe and the Middle East in mid-March as government lockdowns to control the virus spread brought business activities to a near standstill.

In a letter posted on the company’s blog, Chief Executive Officer Fran Horowitz said select stores were opening on a rolling basis. The letter did not mention the number of stores that have been reopened or their specific locations. (https://bit.ly/2W8pgsh)

Macy’s Inc and Coach owner Tapestry Inc have also begun reopening their stores in the United States.

Multiple U.S. states have begun a phased reopening of businesses as they look to restart their economies, but health experts have expressed concern that lifting restrictions too quickly could spark a new wave of infections.

(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)