Payless Shoesource opens its first store in Kuwait in the Avenues Mall

"We are thrilled to grand open our first-ever Middle East store in Kuwait at The Avenues and to bring Kuwait shoppers all that Payless has to offer great style, quality and brand names - all at a great price," said Matthew Rubel, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Collective Brands, Inc., which owns Payless ShoeSource.

"Shoes are universal and women, in particular, enjoy expressing themselves through shoes and accessories. We are so pleased to be here in Kuwait and to have such a tremendous franchisee in Alshaya, and we look forward to bringing shoppers the newest fashion and latest ideas in footwear and accessories for seasons to come."

"We are very excited to introduce Payless to the Middle Eastern market, and we believe the Payless name and all it represents including great brands, a fun inspiring shopping experience, the latest affordable fashions and high quality will do well here just as it has in other regions of the world," said Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman of M.H. Alshaya Co.

The Payless store format offers a fun and inspiring shopping environment designed to showcase the latest trends to make it easy for shoppers to find products to match their personal style and needs. Like the Payless stores in the U.S., the Kuwait store features a wide assortment of shoes and accessories for the family including products for women, men and children covering a range of wearing occasions.

To celebrate the arrival of Payless ShoeSource in Kuwait, a day of entertainment was held for the whole family in the store in The Avenues, which currently hosts such well recognized brands as Airwalk, American Eagle, Smartfit, and the Disney collection including shoes and accessories featuring Hannah Montana, Dora the Explorer, Spider-Man and Cars.

Also available at the new store are Payless Designer Collections with hot-off-the-runway looks from New York fashion designers Lela Rose with Lela Rose for Payless; Stacey Bendet with the alice + olivia for Payless; and Laura Poretzky with the Abaeté for Payless designer label. The Payless Designer Collections are among the most widely distributed designer footwear labels in America today. The collections feature original designs by each designer that are unveiled at New York Fashion Week and later brought to Payless stores at affordable prices.

Alshaya and Payless also announced today the opening of a 240-square-meter Payless store in Sahara Mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.