Urban Outfitters and Sears Might Duke It Out Over J.Crew

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J.Crew put itself on the market about a month ago, and now Dealbook reports interest from two major suitors. Bachelor number one is Sears, owner of Lands' End, which recently launched its own J.Crew-esque line Canvas, while bachelor number two is Urban Outfitters, which already reaches the J.Crew demographic through Anthropologie.

The brands' respective images make this competition looks like a retail Reality Bites, with J.Crew's Winona Ryder choosing between staid but stable Sears Stiller and grungy but sexy Urban Outfitters Hawke. Behind the scenes, though, Urban is actually in much better financial shape. And in any case, no one's made a formal offer yet—it's possible that both companies are just studying J.Crew's books to bone up on the competition.
· Sears and Urban Outfitters Circle J. Crew [Dealbook]