Borders Group is the only major retailer of its kind to pursue expansion overseas. There, the potential exists to add a source of revenue from the English speaking countries where the company operates today. The total market in these countries is estimated at $10 billion, one-third the size of the domestic market.
 

 

We opened our first International store in 1997 in Singapore. Since then, we’ve welcomed 13 more stores in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico. In addition, we operate 31 Books etc. locations in the U.K. Some of our International stores are among the top performers in terms of sales, chain wide.

Borders Group plans five to six new International locations for 2001. They will include new stores in Sydney, Australia and Cambridge, England. The Sydney store will add to the attraction of Pitt Street Mall — one of the world’s busiest retail districts with weekly foot traffic exceeding one million shoppers. The new U.K. store will be adjacent to the campus of the world-renowned University of Cambridge.

We will keep our International segment moving forward on its path to profitability by growing in established markets, leveraging the existing infrastructure and continuing to improve profits as stores mature.