Home Front: Retailers Find Little Trouble With Pakistani Imports

Editor's note: This is the eighth installment in TheStreet.com's Home Front series, a collection of twice-weekly features examining how American business, society and investing have changed in the post-Sept. 11 landscape.

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, when it became clear that war in Central Asia was imminent, many retailers and apparel outfits that conduct business in Pakistan feared a logistical nightmare.

The first worry was for the safety of partners in the region. The second was whether deliveries could still be made on time.

On both counts, fears have eased. "People were expecting a much bigger problem," says Candace Corlett, a partner at consulting firm WSL Retail. ...