York-based Sarah Coggles has opened the first two of its Jack and Jones stores, which it will roll out across Britain.
The stores, both 2,500 sq ft, have opened in York and Sunderland and 13 others are planned by 2010. The store opening programme will create 30 jobs at Sarah Coggles' York head office, and another 200 jobs throughout the country.
The Jack and Jones brand is owned by Danish clothing company Bestseller and operates in 30 countries.
Sarah Coggles shares the franchise with The Officers Club, which mainly operates its franchises in larger cities and shopping centres. Sarah Coggles plans to focus on smaller towns.
Sarah Coggles was the former franchisor of the French Connection chain which was sold last year, having turned over a total of about £45m over nine years.
York law firm Harrowell Shaftoe worked with Sarah Coggles, creating a new company for the Jack and Jones franchise, acquiring premises, arranging leases and obtaining approval for the refurbishment of the new stores. The firm also acted on behalf of the company during the sale of its French Connection franchises.
Jack and Jones will sell 'accessibly-priced' jeans wear and casual clothing to young men.
Mark Bage, managing director of Sarah Coggles, said: "We really like Jack and Jones which is a low-price, high volume business, with clothes similar in style to Diesel, while it sits on a par with H&M and Topman on price." Philip Lewis Ogden, partner at Harrowell Shaftoe specialising in company and commercial law, said: "It is great to see a York-based retailer expanding and bringing new jobs to the city, and our specialist knowledge in dealing with the retail sector has proved vital to meet the deadlines required for Mark's plans to come to fruition."
Sarah Coggles was a double winner at the annual Drapers Awards last year.
It landed the two biggest prizes, Designer Store of the Year and Independent Retailer of the Year.
greg.wright@ypn.co.uk