South Africans love to shop and sell so there are a range of South African clothing chain stores that cater to a variety of tastes and budgets. These clothes shops can be found all over the country, either free-standing or in one of South Africa’s many large shopping malls. You can find a vast range of garments targeted at different ages and different budgets.
What is a chain store?
Retail outlets that share central management operations and a brand name are known as chain stores. The business practices and methods between these stores are usually standardized. Today, chain stores dominate much of the retail market around the world. A franchise store is one kind of chain store. The world’s largest chain store is Wal-Mart, based in the United States. In South Africa, there are a number of chain stores that primarily sell clothing and accessories, some of which are international brands, and some of which are local, South Africa retailers.
Where can I find South African clothing chain stores?
Clothing chain stores are found mainly in the major shopping malls around the country. If you want to visit a number of clothing chain stores at one time, try one of these large shopping centres:
In Johannesburg, Gauteng
- Eastgate
- Brightwater Commons
- Cresta Shopping Centre
- Killarney Mall
- Fourways Mall
- Melrose Arch
- Nelson Mandela Square
- Montecasino
- Sandton City (a more exclusive shopping centre)
Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
- Gateway (with 150 000 square metres of shopping!)
- Liberty Midlands Mall (in Pietermartizburg)
- uShaka Marine World
- The Pavillion
In Pretoria, Gauteng
- Menlyn Park
- Hatfield Plaza
- Woodlands Boulevard
In Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
- Riverside Mall
In Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape
- Greenacres Shopping Centre
In Cape Town, Western Cape
- Canal Walk
- Bayside Centre
- Tyger Valley
- Somerset Mall
- Cavendish Square
- V&A Waterfront (with over 400 stores)
What are some of the most popular clothing chain stores?
Clothing chain stores often carry clothing for a certain age group, purpose, or target market. Some may only stock sports gear, some may only carry women’s clothes etc. Here is a list of some of the most popular clothing chain stores in South Africa categorised under the type of stock they carry and their target market.
Sports chain stores
- International brands such as Reebok, Nike, and Adidas.
- All purpose sports stores such as Sportsman’s Warehouse, Mr Price Sports, Sportscene, Sports Horizons and Total Sports.
Women’s clothing stores
- Foschini, Milady’s
- More exclusive boutique stores such as Mango, Jenni Button, Jo Borkett, Queenspark, Habits
Men’s clothing stores
- Markham’s, Truworth’s Man, Uzzi
Children’s clothing stores
- Naartjie
Men’s, Women’s and Children’s
- Less expensive outlets such as Pep, Ackermans, Jet, Mr Price
- More expensive outlets such as Woolworths, Edgars, Stuttafords, Truworths, Exact
- Designer brands such as Vertigo, Guess, Hilton Weiner, Levi’s
Young adult stores
- The Young Designers Emporium (YDE), Jay Jays, Identity
Plus Size clothing stores
- Donna Claire, Renee Taylor
Outdoor Clothing stores
- Cape Union Mart, Trappers, Old Khaki
These are just a few of the many South African clothing chain stores that can be found in various locations around the country. There is something to suit every budget, ranging from budget clothing stores to the most expensive international designer wear. Many of these chain stores also offer the option of a store credit card or store account to allow you to buy on credit and pay off your purchases over a period of time.
To find the right clothing for you, don’t be shy to shop around. When shopping, remember to keep the receipts of your purchases so that you can exchange them or return them if they turn out to be unsuitable. Also, look out for the regular sales hosted by these chain stores so that you can take advantage of lower prices.