Ross Opens Friday in Advance of Grand Opening

A crowd of shoppers gathered outside the doors of Ross Dress for Less Friday morning as it opened its doors in preparation of its grand opening Saturday.

The retailer is opening 12 stores this weekend in the Chicago market, it’s largest launch ever, according to a company official.

Ross Dress for Less is an off-price retailer that offers items for women, men, children as well as home and bath. The store even offers pet items, said Fred Shuey, Ross’ regional vice president. Items are offered at 20 percent to 60 percent off department store prices. 

Shuey said the store offers “no frills and big thrills.” The big thrills come from what shoppers may be surprised to find on the racks.

“We work very hard to pass the savings on to shoppers,” Shuey said Friday morning in a phone interview. “Shoppers won’t find fancy window displays or mannequins, but they will find great product at a great prices.”

The retailer receives new products three to six times a week, he said, adding that if a shopper finds something they want to purchase, they better buy it because it will probably be gone the next time they visit the store.

Without sharing too much information, Shuey said the retailer has hundreds of buyers across the country that work with vendors to strike deals that will bring quality products to its stores. 

Market research was conducted to determine what items would be in demand specifically in the Midwest, Shuey said. Items such as outer wear and heavier clothing would be among those items, though the recent weather may not put those items in high demand right now.

Tied in with its grand opening events at its stores, Ross has made donations to the Boys and Girls Clubs in the Chicago area, donating a total of $50,000. The retailer will also make donations to local charities, he said. 

Those attending the grand opening can enter to win a grand prize of a $500 shopping spree and there will be five second place prizes of $100 shopping sprees at individual stores, Shuey said. For example, in Naperville, a $1,000 donation will be made to the Naperville Public Library Foundation, according to Ross.

The company has hired more than 600 sales associates for area stores, and Shuey said he was confident they were prepared to offer customers a good shopping expience.

The store opened Friday with a soft launch in order to allow its new employees to get real experience prior to the grand opening Saturday, he said.   

Ross Dress for Less hours are 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The store is located at 514 S. Route 59 in Naperville.