This September, Kohl’s is celebrating 60 years of providing customers with the great brands, value and convenience every day. What began as one store in Wisconsin has expanded into a leading omnichannel retailer with more than 1,100 locations in 49 states.
Over the years, Kohl’s has evolved and grown its shopping experience, including groundbreaking partnerships with Sephora and Amazon. Stores that once sold a little of everything - even motor oil and lawn mowers - have transformed into a destination for active and casual lifestyles and prestige beauty. Take a look at how Kohl’s has changed over the past six decades.
Kohl’s Then
Kohl’s holiday ad from 1963; Store exterior from Kohl’s first store in Brookfield, Wis.; Shoppers at Kohl’s in the 1970s
The first Kohl’s department store opened in Brookfield, Wis., in 1962. When the company went public in 1992, there were 76 Kohl’s stores in the Midwest. In 2003, 28 stores opened in California, giving Kohl’s a coast-to-coast presence for the first time in our history.
Kohl’s Now
Today, with 80 percent of Americans living within 15 miles of a Kohl’s store, we continue to innovate and offer shoppers convenient services, opportunities for discovery and an overall inviting experience. Our store investment and modernization strategies include new store format tests, service pilots, merchandising evolutions, and more, all while still providing an industry-leading shopping experience that our customers know and love.
This holiday, 600 Kohl’s stores will offer customers access to prestige beauty offerings through the Sephora at Kohl’s shop experience. We also recently announced that Kohl’s will expand its partnership to include a Sephora presence at all Kohl’s locations.
The addition of the 2,500 square foot, fully immersive Sephora at Kohl’s beauty experience paved the way for Kohl’s to refresh the look and feel of stores, including the addition of size and skin tone-diverse mannequins and widening aisles to make the experience more welcoming and efficient. Other categories like active and casual have also been expanded and moved to the front of the store to reflect Kohl’s focus on catering to the active and casual lifestyle.
Sephora at Kohl’s; Cosmetics counter at Kohl’s in the 1970s
Rewarding Customers Through the Years
Since launching in 2004, Kohl’s Cash has been a customer favorite, offering even deeper savings opportunities on top brands at Kohl’s. During designated Kohl’s Cash earn periods customers will earn a $10 Kohl’s Cash coupon for every $50 spent in store and on Kohls.com.
Ten years later in 2014, we introduced another value offering with a new loyalty program focused on an every day earn proposition, and in 2020, the program -- Kohl’s Rewards -- evolved into a simplified structure rooted in the company’s iconic Kohl’s Cash allowing customers to earn 5% Rewards every day no matter when or how they choose to shop, as well as personalized deals and perks throughout the year, and a special birthday gift.
Earlier this year, we enhanced Kohl’s Rewards to offer Rewards members 50% more in rewards when using their Kohl’s Card. Customers can also earn Kohl’s Rewards and Sephora Beauty Insider points on Sephora purchases online or in store.
Evolution of Shopping
Kohls.com launched in 2001, giving Kohl’s an online presence that has grown and evolved over the years. The Kohl’s App now has 18 million active users and allows for a more seamless checkout process. Features include the option to scan and store Kohl’s Cash and savings offers and easily manage and redeem Rewards and Kohl’s gift cards all within a single point of access in the digital wallet.
Kohl’s continues to find opportunities to enhance the omnichannel experience by combining the convenience of our digital platform with the tremendous reach of our store network.
New for the 2022 holiday season, Self-Pickup service is available on eligible Kohls.com orders at all stores nationwide. Self-Pickup service creates a hassle-free In-Store Pickup alternative for a faster pickup. Customers shopping on Kohls.com and the Kohl’s App can also continue to buy online, ship to store, so their purchase is shipped to their local Kohl’s for free.
Self-Pickup at Kohl’s, which launched in 2022; Kohl’s customers checking out in 1988
Available nationwide, customers can also take advantage of Amazon Returns at Kohl’s to return eligible Amazon items without a box or label for a free return.
Whether customers have shopped in our stores, on Kohls.com or through the Kohl’s App over the last six decades, we have prided ourselves on delivering a best-in-class experience and look forward to continuing to do so this holiday season and beyond.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements include information concerning the Board’s review of expressions of interest and the Company’s business strategies, plans, and objectives. The Company intends forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “plans,” or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. You should understand that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of strategic action, performance, or results. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks described more fully in Item 1A in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in the Company's filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements relate to the date initially made, and Kohl’s undertakes no obligation to update them.