Tiffany Farrow/The Valdosta Daily Times Susan Smith, left, shops with her mother, Helen Gish, Thursday in the new Talbots store outside the Colonial Mall Valdosta.

VALDOSTA — Founded in 1947, Talbots is known as the “store with the red door” and its original location in a 17th century, colonial frame house in Hingham, Mass., is still in operation. The company’s corporate headquarters is in a 313,000-square-foot facility that also serves as its business and merchandising offices.

Talbots is a leading national specialty retailer, cataloger and e-tailer of women’s, children’s and men’s classic apparel, shoes and accessories. At the end of fiscal year 2005, Talbots operated 1,083 stores throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and its catalog operation circulated approximately 48 million catalogs worldwide. Each of its three sales channels offers the classic, high-quality merchandise that has been Talbots trademark for more than 50 years.

The Talbots women’s collection offers high-quality sportswear, versatile career separates, casual wear and special occasion classics in an extensive range of sizes as well as a complementary selection of shoes and accessories. The company also offers children’s clothing through its catalog, Internet site and in Talbots Kids retail stores located throughout the United States. Talbots Men’s, the company’s line of high-quality classic sportswear for men, is available in select retail locations as well as online and in a separate catalog mailed in the spring and fall. Talbots maintains a timeless, unconditional guarantee on its merchandise, supporting its credo, “Do What is Right for the Customer.”

According to its Web site, Talbots serves a well-defined customer niche. Its customers are well-educated, active in their community, and socially and culturally aware. While they can range from teenager to grandparent, they are typically over 35 years old. Approximately 70 percent of Talbots customers have a college education and the majority are professionally employed.

Talbots is another great addition to the Colonial Mall shopping experience.