Hingham, MA, February 28, 2008 – Leading specialty retailer Talbots will open four stores during the month of March 2008. The Company will celebrate the opening of two Talbots stores and two Talbots Woman stores. Each of the stores will host grand opening events, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony and drawings for $200 gift cards.

Opens Red Doors in Hendersonville, TN and Ridgeland, MS

• Hendersonville, TN - 3,895-square-foot Talbots store will open Wednesday, March 5, at The Streets of Indian Lake. Doors will open at 10 am that morning, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and drawing at 11 am.



• Ridgeland, MS - 4,000-square-foot Talbots will open Wednesday, March 19, at the Renaissance at Colony Park. The store will open at 10 am that morning, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and drawing at 11 am.

Adds Talbots Woman store in Augusta, GA

• Augusta, GA - 2,100-square-foot Talbots Woman store will be added to the existing Talbots and Talbots Petites at Surrey Center. The new Talbots Woman will open Thursday evening, March 6, with a shopping reception from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and drawing will be conducted at 7 pm.

Relocates and Expands in Macon, GA

• Macon, GA - The Talbots and Talbots Petite stores on Forsyth Road will move to The Shoppes at River Crossing (about 4 ½ miles away), and an adjacent Talbots Woman will be added. Occupying a combined total of 8,800 square feet, the new three concept location will officially open Wednesday, March 19, at 10 am. A ribbon-cutting and drawing will be held at 11 am. In conjunction with this opening, the existing Talbots and Talbots Petites stores on Forsyth Road will close Tuesday, March 18, at 7 pm.

Each of the new stores will offer an extensive assortment of casual, career and dressy options made exclusively for Talbots under its own private label. Talbots stores carry Misses and Petite sizes. Talbots Petites stores carry a deeper selection of clothing designed to fit the proportions of women 5’4" and under. Talbots Woman stores offer clothing tailored to fit a fuller figure in Woman’s and Woman’s Petites sizes.

Grand opening festivities are planned for each of the new stores. For event details and additional information about Talbots, contact Betsy Thompson at 781-741-4066 or via email at betsy.thompson@talbots.com.

Founded in 1947, Talbots is the headquarters for grown-up, classic style. Talbots offers an extensive selection of timeless styles in four different size ranges – Misses 0-20, Petites 0-16P, Woman’s 12W-24W and Woman’s Petites 12WP-24WP. The Company currently operates over 1,100 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada. Catalog and online shopping are also offered.

www.thetalbotsinc.com – corporate/press information
www.talbots.com – online shopping site
800-825-2687 – toll-free catalog

CONTACT:
Betsy Thompson
The Talbots, Inc.
781-741-4006 betsy.thompson@talbots.com

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Melissa Jaffin
(212)994 - 4660