Buy the River: Sikeston's rue21 store expands, adds plus sizes

I traveled recently to Sikeston, Missouri, to visit the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores and meet with the manager of rue21, which will have a grand reopening on June 30 for its expanded location.

The store will be the first rue21 in our area to carry plus-size styles.

Kyla Evans, marketing director of the Sikeston Outlet Stores, took me on a tour of the grounds and talked about how the mall has changed in the past few years.

__Buy the River: So, tell me about your role here.__

__Kyla Evans:__ I am marketing director for the Sikeston Outlet Stores. I've been here for four years. We're really excited about the rue21 expansion project. ... It's staying here, but going to a new and bigger location. It is a totally new location within the mall, with about 2,500 more square feet added to the store.

__BTR: What will be the main differences about the store?__

__KE:__ It will offer a lot more to the lines, as in more variety. The men's section will also be expanded. Speaking of the ladies' line, the new store will carry Rue +, which means all the styles they carry now will be offered in more sizes. ... It's really good, because before, plus sizes had to be ordered online. Now, customers can come in and try on the clothes. They are given a total shopping experience.

__BTR: When is the official opening of the new store?__

__KE:__ The grand reopening will be June 30. It's going to be fun. There will be lots of in-house specials and sales going on, so it will be great.

__BTR: This also is a tourist attraction, right?__

__KE:__ We like to toot our own horn that we are the only outlet stores between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. We have a lot of traffic from the interstate, from people going to eat at Lambert's, then coming here to walk it off. ... We love to bring in the local community and service their needs, too.

After leaving the under-construction rue21, I went to the current location to meet with store manager Renee Cokenour.

__BTR: Hi, Renee, I just walked into the new store. It's amazing! How do you feel about the changes?__

__Renee Cokenour:__ Did you see the colors on the walls? I love them. We're really excited. For me, this is all brand-new with a new location.

__BTR: So, Rue + is coming here -- what would the customers be most excited about?__

__RC:__ What's exciting about it is what you see in our juniors line, that's what you get with the plus line. It is junior clothing geared toward that group, just in plus sizes.