Many retailers are closing stores and laying off staff in response to the continued reluctance of consumers to resume their pre-recession spending habits. But there are a few retailers that are continuing to expand. And these exceptions to the trend are finding it's a buyer's market both when it comes to cutting deals with landlords and hiring new staff.
Take the example of Aspen Dental Management Inc., which runs a chain of dentist offices in underserved markets. The Syracuse, N.Y.-based company has expanded from seven offices to 200 in the past 10 years and is adding new locations at a rate of about 50 per year. Recently, Aspen has expanded into Florida, Kentucky and the Pacific Northwest. Next year the company is eyeing such states as Tennessee and Nebraska.
Aspen is planning to expand its workforce to 3,060 this year from 794 in 2005. Each new location opens with nine employees including management and support staff. The company's support center in Syracuse also is continuing to add workers.