"In Texas, we are dying for an H&M"

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"H&M now has nearly 200 stores in the U.S. But they are noticeably absent in areas that seem ripe for its colorful tank tops and floral dresses. Austin, Houston and Dallas are bare, as are Salt Lake City and New Orleans. The states of New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina also lack an H&M, while Indiana boasts three. In the few warm weather climates where H&M has ventured, its penetration is minimal. It only recently opened in Florida, in Orlando, and won't land in South Florida until this fall. It has only two stores in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, some shoppers are growing restless, especially as the company continues its budget-friendly collaborations with high-profile designers. Ashleigh Schmitz, a 21-year-old from Colleyville, Texas, says she admires H&M clothes in magazine spreads. 'In Texas, we are dying for an H&M,' she wrote on her blog." [WSJ]