In any retail or business operation, planning is a very important factor in the success of any business as it involves actually anticipating and organizing what needs to be done and how it should be done to achieve a goal. (Retail, p.40) Strategic planning involves a company or business adapting its resources to the real opportunities and possible threats of the ever-changing retail environment and, if used correctly, a good Strategic plan can help retailers achieve and maintain a beneficial balance between their resources and possible opportunities ahead. There are, in fact, four main components in proper strategic planning that could help any retail company achieve its goals, namely developing a mission statement, defining specific goals and/or objectives, identifying and analyzing and developing a strategy basic. (Retail, p.42) My objective is to determine, analyze, and document how an emerging, fast-paced retail business called Citi Trends, which is a fast-growing, affordable retailer of urban-accessory products style fashion and a chain of clothing stores for today's urban families, implements these particular strategic planning techniques in the management of operations and business objectives. Citi Trend's mission is as follows: "Citi Trends is the place to go for incredibly low prices, real urban brands and urban-style fashion for the whole family. You will find Rocawear, Apple Bottoms, Coogi, Dereon, Akademiks, Mecca, Baby Phat, Ed Hardy and more with up to 60% off mall prices As of this time, we have over 480 stores in 27 states. Since May 2005, Citi Trends has become a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq stock exchange CTRN. Citi Trends headquarters is located in the center of the paper ring so that its customers get efficient circulation through their merchandise (Retail, page 498) This type of environment is ideal for Citi Trends as it makes customers want to browse and Citi Trends has strategically placed signs to provide their customers with directions as to where each department begins and ends. Citi Trends has been in the apparel retail industry for over 58 years with over 480 stores operating in 27 US states. They have demonstrated the ability to adapt resources to opportunities and to be aware of and manage all possible threats to company objectives. With their good strategic plan they have been able to adapt to an ever-changing retail environment in order to achieve and maintain a certain balance of their resources; thus positioning itself for accelerated and profitable growth.