Winners announced January 13, 2026, at the Horseshoe Las Vegas
PARTNERSHIPS IN EXCELLENCE
Honors a brand that has demonstrated outstanding collaboration in a strategic partnership with a clear shared vision and mutually beneficial objectives.
WORK
c Keen Utility
c Thorogood
c Hoss
c Skechers Work
c Red Wing
MEN’S COMFORT
c OluKai
c Josef Seibel
c Cole Haan
c Johnston & Murphy
c Mephisto
MEN’S STREETWEAR
c Adidas Originals
c Xtratuf
c Nike
c Blundstone
c Saucony
WESTERN
c Frye
c Dingo
c Ariat
c Durango
c Twisted X
WOMEN’S COMFORT
c Ara
c Rieker
c Birkenstock
c Pikolinos
c Taos
WOMEN’S STREETWEAR
c L’Artiste
c Django & Juilette
c All Black
c 4CCCCEES
c Frankie 4
RETAILERS OF THE YEAR
Honors retailers that have demonstrated outstanding performance, customer experience and service, and industry leadership in brickand-mortar and/or ecommerce channels.
NATIONAL
c Boot Barn
c Tradehome Shoes
c Shoe Sensation
c Dick’s Sporting Goods
c Shoe Station
REGIONAL
c Beck’s Shoes
c Brown’s Shoe Fit
c Schuler Shoes
c Comfort One Shoes
c Sole Provisions
SINGLE STORE
c Laurie’s Shoes
St. Louis, Missouri
c Golden Shoes
Traverse City, Michigan
c Little’s Shoes
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
c The Heel Shoe Fitters
Green Bay, Wisconson
c Tip Top Shoes
New York, New York
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD
Honors an individual who demonstrates exceptional influence, vision, and impact within the world of footwear. Leads with honesty, responsibility, and transparency. Demonstrates a clear, forward-thinking vision for the industry’s future.
c David Kahan, president, Birkenstock Americas
c Laura O’Brien, executive director, The Atlanta Shoe Market
c Tony Chiappetta, founder, Shoe Dogs United
SALES REP OF THE YEAR
Honors the sales rep who goes above and beyond in driving sales, building retailer relationships, and contributing to the growth and reputation of brands. Includes delivering high customer satisfaction and retention.
c Scott Berry/Taos
c Ryan Goralski/Birkenstock
c Jon Noriega/Aetrex
c Patrick Percoski/Clarks
c Diana Zuluaga/Ara
OUTSTANDING
ACCESSORIES BRAND
Honors a product/accessory that compliments, enhances, or innovatively supports the footwear experience – either functionally, stylistically, or both.
c OS1st
c Aetrex
c Feetures
c Powerstep
c Superfeet
BRAND OF THE YEAR
Honors the brand that has demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation, and impact over the past year, including strong brand recognition and consumer loyalty.
c Birkenstock
c Hoka
c Taos
c Skechers
c Brooks
Good Friction
I GOT ADDICTED
in high school, although not by trying to solve them. Rather, it came from watch ing my mother work on them while she prepared dinners for our family of six. Amid the bustle in the kitchen, she would pause periodically to fill in a few squares of the crossword in
The New York Times tion, folded neatly into a quarter page. She relished the temporary escape into a quiet world to ponder clues and search her mind for answers. There would often be a sudden light in her eyes, a quick jotting with her pen, and a satisfied smile—or smirk if the solution involved a play on words.
The mental exercise and the sense of accomplish ment got me hooked. I, too, love the temporary escape, especially after a hectic day, when focus ing on answers without weighty consequences is a stress reliever. A crossword is like a spin class for the brain. In fact, studies show that doing cross words regularly can delay the onset of age-related memory decline.
At times I find myself staring at a puzzle and draw ing a blank. But I tell myself to fill in a few suffixes. That can jumpstart a couple of complete answers, then an entire section. From there, I might catch onto a theme and, before I know it, done! Gold star for me for the day.
Crosswords are an example of good friction, the kind that happens when you use brainpower to get from point A to point B rather than asking AI for answers and (buyer beware) accepting them as gospel. Unfortunately, it feels like society is heading lockstep off a cliff, using AI searches like GPL-1 shots, as a quick fix to solve prob lems. In the process, our brains and bodies are becoming soft, unable and/or unwilling to tackle what we could solve with determination and a little elbow grease. Worse, we’re forfeiting the sense of accomplishment that comes with overcoming challenges and achieving goals through creative friction.
I believe just letting “AI do it” will ultimately water down creativity and curtail progress in
Greg Dutter Editorial Director
our beloved industry. AI’s endless scraping and culling will produce a blurry meld of what’s already been created—a copy of a copy that’s not nearly as sharp as the original. It lacks the creativity that only humans can generate, the spark that can ignite our industry and lead us to new frontiers. And if AI replaces humans in the footwear making and selling process, how will people acquire the skills and experience necessary for future breakthroughs?
Of course, AI is the source of a lot of good—like revolutionizing healthcare through faster diagnostics. But I’m leery about it taking over creative careers. The idea of AI playing the lead role as designers, buyers, actors, musicians, writers, etc., is anathema to me. The human quotient is the difference between a sonnet written by Shakespeare and one written by ChatGPT. Even AI concedes that “The resulting poem may be serviceable and adhere to the structural rules, but its quality, depth, and originality not always match that of a human poet.”
Amen to that. Cue the memorable scene of John Keating, a.k.a. Robin Williams, instructing his students to rip out the soulless introductory section of their poetry Dead Poets Society
My point? Don’t surrender. Don’t let the machines do everything. Retailers, don’t forget the art of creating merchandise mixes that blend analytics with a good eye and gut instinct gained from years of experience. Wholesalers, don’t strip the business down to profit margins. Invest in what makes your brand and products special. And I’d urge everyone to heed Mr. Keating’s advice to embrace “poetry, beauty, romance, love…what we stay alive for.” Shout it out while standing atop your desks, if you must.
I (aim to) practice what I preach. This column started with a germ of an idea about AI and the lack of creative friction it causes in both good and bad ways. That triggered a memory of my mother doing crosswords in the kitchen, which led to more mind mining and eventually tapped a Dead Poets Society vein. It took about a week from initial thoughts to completed draft. There were several false starts and, I confess, some swearing as I labored to string it together. Writing can be difficult, but the process is important. It’s like the journey to a destination. It makes the result feel earned. Indeed, writing is good friction.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ECCO
Gotham Gals
’Tis the season. The first brisk breezes bring out statement boots. Photography by Marcy Swingle
Q&A
BY GREG DUTTER
FAST TIMES
Michael Abrams, senior vice president of sales for Lady Couture and Ninety Union, has the sales petal to the metal and sees an open highway for much more growth.
THIS IS THE STORY of Michael Abrams, a shoe industry lifer and a sole survivor. His colorful tale spans early chapters working in all facets of independent retailing and, for the past quarter century, in the wholesale arena at an array of fast fashion brands. In a Noo Yawk accent as thick as Joey Ramone’s, Abrams gives the skinny on his careeuh—the hits, misses, and memories. Despite decades in the industry, Abrams is just getting revved up. He speaks from experience and with plenty of candor. It’s both refreshing and inspiring, especially considering that his latest chapters are some of his most successful to date. So, let’s get to the story.
Starting in high school Abrams pitched in, first in the stockroom and then on the salesfloor, of his parents’ three S&T Shoes stores in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The Queens, NY, native desperately wanted a car, and his parents told him he had to earn it. So after school he’d hop on a bus and then take the subway to the stores and pitch in while doing his homework between breaks. Abrams got schooled in the retailing basics. The most important lesson learned from his dad still rings true today. “Treat everyone the same, no matter who they are,” he says, adding that you meet the same people on their way up as on their way down. “It’s worked for me. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I have a good reputation in the business. I never screwed anybody.”
Turns out, Abrams had a knack for selling shoes as well as an eye for product. When his parents retired, he and his wife, Lorraine, didn’t miss a step and opened Daniel Evans, an upscale shoe boutique on the Upper East Side that, over a course of a decade, became a destination for ladies who lunch and ’80s-era Hollywood stars, including regulars Brooke Shields, Liza Minnelli, and Michelle Lee. Daniel Evans was also listed in the credits of several soap operas as shoe wardrobe supplier, which would often generate a viral-like rush of fans seeking the styles worn by their beloved characters.
“It was an amazing business,” Abrams says, citing the winning combination of great merchandise (brands included Yves St. Laurent, Joan & David, Perry Ellis, and Anne Klein as well as private label makeup out of Europe) and a killer location. “There was a beautiful restaurant next door, a high-end
electronics store nearby, and a beauty parlor across the street where the crème de la crème went.” He adds, “It was a neighborhood where the husbands likely worked on Wall Street, had a house in The Hamptons, and their wives would buy two or three pairs every visit, which was frequent. And the stars would call ahead of time to schedule private shopping visits where they’d drop $1,000,
Matching handbags have recently been added to select styles.
which was a lot of money back then.”
But recessions happen. The one in the early ’90s hit New York hard, the city accounting for nearly one in five job losses nationwide. Many Masters of the Universe were no longer earning big bucks and Daniel Evans’ customer base cut back on spending. They neighborhood retail scene turned, too. “The stockbroker probably became a belt salesman at Lord & Taylor and the beautiful businesses around us became a KFC, a dive bar, and a framing store. It was tough,” Abrams says.
That’s when Abrams shifted gears, in the mid ’90s, into wholesale. First stop was Rossimoda followed by stints at Rocket Dog, Volatile (twice), Punk Rose (then a division of Skechers), and Dollhouse, before joining Lady Couture and Ninety Union about 10 years ago following a conversation with owner, Mark Kahen, at a show. He was a Queens retailer dipping his toe into the wholesale world. “He understood the bling business well, but he needed people with industry contacts,” Abrams says. “We got to talking and one thing led to another and, here we are now, with a nationwide account list and a company that’s growing rapidly.”
Abrams is built for fast fashion, having been the catalyst for sales growth at all his wholesale stops. And unlike a lot of people who slow down as they age, he’s selling faster than ever. Lady Couture and Ninety Union have caught fire, which kicked into high gear during the pandemic when Kahen bet big on inventory. Abrams was able to get into a lot of doors, and the brands consistently delivered solid results. Under his lone rep status (a second rep joined in February), sales have grown from a smattering of Jamaica Avenue independents “doing 100 pairs a year” to well into the thousands at leaders like Nordstrom, DSW, and Shoe Station. Overall sales are up about 20 percent this year, tariffs be damned.
“We’re in every channel and most majors,” Abrams proudly confirms. “Our business is great.
Our boots are blowing out in both brands, and we offer a lot of wild styles with crazy heels and ornamentations that women love. We feature better materials—every pair has a little extra in them. And we recently added matching handbags in both brands that are selling well.”
In addition to great product, Abrams cites the company’s lean structure yet wide open approach to doing business as keys to its success. It’s a tight, familyowned ship—except when it comes to inventory. The company’s warehouses are always filled, and everything is open stock. “You can buy one pair or hundreds, and the size range runs 4 to 14,” he says, adding, “Our owner has a great eye for product. He knows what’s going to be good, and he buys shoes like a drunken salesman, and I mean that in the best way possible.”
Abrams believes this overall approach makes Lady Couture and Ninety Union unique. “Hardly anyone ships a single pair now,” he says. “A lot of companies have a $3,000 opening order; ours is whatever you want to write.” For example, a retailer recently called asking how fast he could get a size 8 on a specific boot and the answer was the next day. “If you buy less than three pairs, we charge a $5 handling fee, but anything more than that, we just charge you the UPS rate,” Abrams says, adding, “Our four warehouses are jam-packed and flowing product in and out on a regular basis. We’re different.”
The company’s uniqueness has Abrams bullish about its future. The growth potential is “limitless” for both brands, and the company will be intro ducing a Brazilian-made leather brand, Ashley Kahen, at The Atlanta Shoe Market this February. “We’re run like a small, welloiled independent shoe store,” he says. “Our owner is very easy to work with and rarely
It’s all about heel bling with Lady Couture.
says no, our designer (Carlos Molina) is great, our customer service reps are our backbone, and our quality control people in China are amazing. It’s a team effort and a fun place to work.”
Business is up 20 percent despite serious external headwinds. What gives?
It all starts with our owner, Mark Kahen, who is a smart man. For example, earlier this year when the tariff rate was 100 percent-plus, he didn’t cancel orders. Instead, he stored it all in a bonded warehouse. He probably had about six containers sitting in that warehouse for a month until the rate went down to around 35 percent. We had tons of shoes ready to go. We didn’t have to wait 45 days to ship. While that cost x amount of dollars to store, in the long run we had shoes to ship immediately when many other brands didn’t. That was a huge edge. I should also note that our retailers were very sympathetic with pushing out POs. They were also very reasonable on deliveries and didn’t do charge backs. We gave gift-with-purchase tote bags as an extra, and many were happy with that.
Still, the trade war has impacted business? Oh, it’s been terrible. Mark has been absorbing a lot of the costs. He’s been very fair with our partners. Prices have increased no more than 10 percent. We also tried sourcing in India, Vietnam, and Cambodia, but the fact is China is China, and you can’t beat the quality and turnaround times of our factory. We have established business there, so Mark’s bitten the bullet. The margins and less but the quality is still great.
In addition to betting big on inventory, what are some other factors contributing to the company’s recent growth?
Lots of reasons that add up. For
just right. Similarly, before an order is put in, we all offer our two cents and Mark genuinely listens, which is also rare. Another example involves our Ninety Union “Fuji” boot, a croc-print lace-up that’s blowing out of stores right now. The only issue is that reorders won’t arrive until January, which is when most boots are put on sale. But Mark is still buying them, believing that they will continue to sell. Who puts a boot order in for January delivery, especially in this current economy? But I agree with him that a lot of consumers will still be buying boots then, and I also think that we have the look and we’re willing to back it up. I feel that if we continue to do what we’ve been doing, Ninety Union will be a major brand in two or three years.
How are the two brands different?
Lady Couture is dressier and more bling-y. Ninety Union is more subdued. They’re completely different customers. The Lady Couture woman wants to be noticed and likes that those styles that feature a lot of heel interests. She trends a little older, wants to be in fashion, and wear statement shoes. Whereas the Ninety Union woman is more basic in her tastes and prefers more subtle details.
Q&A
Anything else fueling the brands’ success?
Our opening price point is below $100 for both brands, which I think is a more disposable income. If a young woman wants to spend between $49 and $89, it’s still within reach for her or her parents. When you get above $130, they think twice. So we try to keep our retail price points below $75 for shoes and $100 for boots.
And it’s not just a sneaker-wearing world?
Absolutely not! For example, the Ninety Union “Gloria” pump you featured on the cover of your April/May anniversary issue blew up. Buyers love that shoe, and it’s anything but a sneaker. In fact, every time we’re featured in your magazine, we get a ton of phone calls. I’m sure our “Twist” sandal coming out now is going to blow up, too. Shopping in the city recently, we saw a lot of women wearing high heels shoes and boots with tight jeans. I think that will trend into next fall.
What’s the outlook for next year?
We’ve forecasted at least a little growth, which we do every year. We have to be optimistic, right? We can’t throw our hands up and say, ‘Oh God, we’re
OFF THE CUFF
What are you reading? My son, who has a PhD in education, wrote a book on how to teach AI in the classroom. It’s very technical; I need a dictionary to read it. I also recently read Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice.
What was the last move you saw? Ballerina
What is inspiring you? Other than our business being really good, it’s my grandson, who is turning four. He’s my inspiration in life.
Who has been the greatest influence on you? My wife. She straightened me out. We’ve been married 45 years. She’s a rep for Berness.
What keeps you awake at night? Nothing.
What superpower would you most like to have? In this business, it’s to read a woman’s mind.
What was your first-ever paying job? I sold
Burpee Seeds, like oregano and basil, door to door. Then I delivered pizzas.
What is your favorite hometown memory? I grew up in the Howard Beach section of Queens, NY, and it’s of racing cars on Cross Bay Blvd. I had a 1969 Barracuda. It was old school New York before speed cameras.
What might people be surprised to know about you? I have a car fetish. I can rebuild the motor of anything pre-catalytic converter, no problem.
What’s on your to do list for today? I have a Saks meeting later this afternoon and a Nordstrom meeting as soon as we hang up.
What would be the title of your life story and who would play you in the film adaptation? Shoes, How I Love You. George Clooney.
What is your motto? Everything will work out.
not going to sell any shoes.’ It’s part of the reason why we’re launching Ashley Kahen. We’ve been getting a lot of requests to do a leather brand from Nordstrom, DSW, and others. So Mark went to Brazil for that. He does it right. On that note, one of my goals for next year is to hire a couple of more sales reps. I’ll continue to handle the major accounts and our rep, Kristen Garver, will handle independents across the country. But we need to hire two more reps to help her.
Do you envision a lot of growth in your existing account base as well as beyond?
Yes. We’re still chasing a few big accounts—like Famous Footwear and Macy’s, both of which we’d love to be in. There are a bunch of others we’re calling on and they’re saying there’s no room…yadda, yadda, yadda. They all have a story. But we’re going to surround them soon, and I believe they’ll eventually take notice. It’s how Steve Madden built his business. He did it right, starting out with independents and working his way up.
What makes for a great shoe? Is it a gut feeling at this point?
It just clicks in my head. Our Ninety Union “Zippy” black ankle boot with a front zipper and studs around the outsole is one example. I knew instantly that it’d be a home run and told Mark to buy it. He initially bought 1,800 pairs. That quickly turned into 20,000 pairs, which six years ago was friggin’ Steve Madden-like numbers for us. We’d never had a style do more than 1,000 pairs before that. If we had more, we’d have sold more. It was in every store in Manhattan, and that’s when Manhattan had shoe stores. David Z had it in every store. Village Cobbler had it. It cost $39 and was retailing for $99.
The home runs have gotten bigger since, yes? Yes. It’s crazy the numbers we’re doing on some styles. Our recently introduced “Jloo” slide has been tremendous—25,000 pairs and counting. Our “Raddle” sandal will hit 50,000 pairs soon. Some of our handbags are approaching 16,000 units. That’s tremendous.
Does your company’s success ultimately boil down to product?
To a large extent, yes. Part of it is also luck of the draw. It’s the right time, right shoes, and right place. For example, during the pandemic we were loaded with inventory and that really helped open a lot of accounts that had been hesitant up to that point. We opened Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off Fifth, Lord & Taylor, and Ross Stores, among others. Fortunately, those shoes performed. Because as everyone in this business knows, you’re only as good
Ninety Union best-sellers:
as your last shoe. We’ve been really fortunate to not bomb out these last few years. We’ve had zero close-outs in our inventory. We don’t have one style that we’re looking to get rid of, which is amazing as we carry a huge collection and everything comes in three to five colors. There may a color in a style that’s slow, but there’s nothing we want to dump or reduce. We even have a few styles from 10 years ago that are still selling.
What’s your company’s position on DTC?
We sell DTC but our pricing is considerably higher than any of our online partners. Our site is really to showcase our complete collection. We don’t really want to sell DTC. We want to sell in our retail partners. We don’t want a consumer to google our brands and see a style on our site cheaper than anyone else. We have a different point of view. Also, a lot of the shoes on our site are sold out or only available in limited sizes. We carry tons of stock, but that’s because we want our retail partners to be able to replenish quickly.
This is quite different philosophy. It is. You don’t make money selling one pair at a time. You need to sell 50, 500, 1,000 pairs, etc. at a time, and you can only do that through retailers.
Why don’t most other brands agree with this approach?
I don’t know. I have a lot of friends who sell
a little over wholesale pricing. I think it makes no sense. Opening your own stores make no sense to me whatsoever, either.
Is the wholesale business harder today than when you started out?
Yes, in that there’s far fewer retailers overall. When I started, I could spend a whole day just on 8th St. in Manhattan. There were 20 independent shoes stores on that one block. Now there are none. There are hardly any in all of Manhattan.
Do you envision an independent shoe store renaissance any time soon?
Not in New York. The rents are ridiculously high, and good traffic is near zero. My wife and I shopped in Manhattan recently and while there was a mob of people, very few were carrying shopping bags. The only shopping bags you see are from Trader Joe’s. Even in SoHo, it was mobbed but the only people carrying shopping bags were tourists. Maybe in the Southeast where the rents are cheaper and those consumers like to dress glitzy can sustain more boutiques, whereas with New Yorkers it’s give them a t-shirt, button fly Levi’s, and black boots and they’re happy.
Where do you envision the company in three years?
In addition to possibly launching an opening price point brand, I see our brands everywhere. We want
to be in every retailer across the country. I think that our brands have enough variety in styles, colors, and patterns to sell everybody. For example, we don’t sell Nordstrom Rack the same styles we sell Nordstrom, nor do we sell Shoe Show the same styles we sell DSW, etc.
Even if they ask politely?
Our lines are big enough so that we can keep them all happy. There are enough options to sell everybody something different. We can also tweak a style—change a stitch or a buckle, or put a different heel on it. We can also do private label, if they want. We’ve done it for Aldo and Steve Madden.
What do you love most about this industry?
It’s a part of me. I’ve been doing since I was 16 years old and I still love it. Retire? Why should I? I love what I do. I love going to shoe shows. I love setting up our booths, although I hate breaking them down. I love being there. I love meeting face-to-face with my shoe family. I really missed them during the pandemic.
It’s refreshing to speak with some who has such a positive outlook on the industry and life in general.
My roots are in retail, so I must be an optimist. But it takes a lot of hard work to be successful. When I walk a show and see a lot of young reps sitting at desks with their faces buried in their laptops… it makes me crazy! You should look directly at customers. Same goes for buyers. I see how a lot of them only go into booths they already know. I don’t understand that. You’re spending money to attend the show as well as for someone to cover your store while you’re gone on a weekend, no less. Yet you don’t walk into new booths? I get it if you’re a kids’ or work boot store, but if you sell women’s shoes, you might want to take a look at ours. We have everything from ballerinas to wild heels to sneakers. It makes me crazy. That rant aside, the shoe business has been very, very good to me.
What do you love most about your job?
I love everything about it. I work for an amazing owner, and I know that from the experience of having worked for plenty of difficult people over the years. Mark is easy to work for, and it’s gratifying work. While it was hard in the beginning—getting people to have faith in our brands and give them a test—now it’s like we’re on autopilot. Ninety Union and Lady Couture are becoming genuine brands, but there’s still plenty of room for growth in more styles, more depth with existing accounts and in more doors. I think if this season performs like the early read has, then we’ll have a phenomenal 2026. •
“Fuji,” Zippy,” and “Jloo.”
Uptown Girl
Carissa Krausman Kluesener, owner of the Shoe Thrill in Arizona, is on a mission to help her customers discover that the right footwear can change your life.
By Kathy Passero
THEY DON’T CALL Carissa Krausman Kluesener “the shoe guru” for nothing. The owner and founder of the Shoe Thrill in Chandler, AZ, is a longtime footwear aficionado, so passionate about her favorite accoutrement that she’s been known to dye her hair to match her boots. Loyal customers regard her as a retail genius, beloved for the fashion-forward mix of European comfort brands she curates at her 13-year-old store not far from Phoenix, as well as for her unparalleled ability to find the perfect pair for each shopper.
Kluesener is also an aspiring stand-up comedian, a spin instructor in training, and such a diehard Billy Joel fan that she’s named four successive pet French Bulldogs after her favorite singer. Listening to her explain how humor can help us through hardship or why Joel’s 1986 hit “Matter of Trust” resonates now more than ever, it’s impossible not to catch Kluesener’s enthusiasm. The same holds true when she discusses the subject nearest to her heart: the power of footwear to improve quality of life.
“There is nothing more rewarding than making someone feel better or helping them realize they don’t have to wear orthotics and Hokas for the rest of their life,” Kluesener says. “I joke that I own a shoe store because I have a shopping problem, and I funnel it into helping other people shop. I love playing adult Barbie. But the truth is, people come to me because I actually care about them. I love sharing things that have worked for me with others.”
“She has such energy, passion, and knowledge of the product,” says Steve Pereira, sales representative for Dansko, who has worked with Kluesener for more than 20 years. “She does an amazing job curating the brands she carries, and she always puts the customers first. She’ll spend three hours with you if you need it.”
“I’ve tried on every shoe in the store including the men’s, so I know how they fit,” says Kluesener. She can tell you which brands work best for narrow feet, which work for wider feet, and which can help alleviate back, knee, and hip pain.
“When people come in, I’m like the Terminator, scanning them. I can tell if something is wrong with their gait or their hips. I know if they’re in pain by the way they hold their face,” explains Kluesener, a favorite of local pedorthists and podiatrists, who often send their patients her way. “I’m respectful of each customer. If they’re on a mission to find, say, a black walking shoe to wear in Europe, I can guide them to what they’re looking for. But if they want more help, I’ll have them take off their shoes so I can look at their feet and make recommendations based on what I see.”
“It’s amazing to see Carissa in action,” says Jamie Evans, former sales rep
for Kanner Corporation, who worked with the Shoe Thrill for almost a decade. “They’ve got a great selection with something for everybody, and when you see a shoe on the wall that you like, they come out with seven different pairs. They take them out of the box and stand them up in front of you. You don’t have to do anything but sit and be fit. That’s a difference-maker.”
Kluesener’s impressive trove of footwear knowledge comes not just from genuine love of her work, but from a decades-long quest to find the best footwear to keep herself pain-free through numerous personal health setbacks.
SHE’S
GOT A WAY
Even as a kid, Carissa Krausman Kluesener was a fashionista. “I’ve always been obsessed with shoes,” says the Oregon native, who moved to Chandler as a pre-teen. “I used to babysit like it was a full-time job and save up all my money to buy black patent Airwalk sneakers or bluish silver Doc Martens that went up to my knees. I went to thrift stores and bought vintage bowling bags to use as purses. I’ve always been colorful and different. I’m 43, and I’m still like that.”
While earning a broadcast degree at Arizona State University, Kluesener got a day job at an independent shop called the Shoe Mill in Tempe (no relation to the well-known Oregon chain). It was the perfect fit for a shoe lover—so perfect that she stayed for a decade. “I would sell shoes all day and still go home and read Zappos reviews about product. It fascinated me,” she recalls.
She also recalls the first pair of red shoes she ever bought, leather Dansko Marcelle clogs from the Shoe Mill when she was 20. “They changed my life,” she says. “When you walk in a colorful shoe that feels good, your whole mood shifts.”
Stanley Eisenman
Then, a week before her 22nd birthday, a far less positive but equally lifealtering event occurred. Kluesener was jumping on a trampoline with a friend when she landed with her kneecap locked as the trampoline came up. “I blew up the plateau of my right knee and ripped the PCL (posterior cruciate ligament)
Carissa Krausman Kluesener
off the femur,” she explains. “It’s the kind of violent injury that usually only happens if you’re in a car accident.”
The damage was so severe that she underwent surgery, had six metal screws permanently placed in her knee, and had to take a semester off college to recover. To add insult to injury, her orthopedic surgeon told her she’d have to wear sandals with a back strap for stability. “I already owned the classic Arizona slip-on Birkenstocks, but now I had to buy Birkenstock Madeira fisherman sandals for physical therapy. At 22, backstraps were not cool,” she says.
Kluesener had been a varsity athlete, but the damage to her knee forced her to give up soccer, skiing, and running. Still, she was determined not to sacrifice an active lifestyle. “My doctor told me to look for a desk job, but I’m not desk job material. I didn’t want to have a reduced quality of life, so I asked him to please give me more physical therapy, and I resolved to wear the best shoes on the planet. I started reading obsessively and began to understand that our feet are the base that provides stability for the rest of the body.” That deep dive into the connection between footwear and pain relief has served Kluesener—and her customers—well ever since.
“Wearing the right footwear and going to a myopractor to help me retrain my muscles to hold my frame properly has allowed me do cycle classes and work 60 hours a week on my feet,” she says with pride.
THIS IS THE TIME
After 10 years at the Shoe Mill, Kluesener found herself chafing against the limitations of the job she had loved. She longed to stretch her wings and carry edgier styles. Her first thought was to team up with her manager to buy out the store’s owner, but the manager deemed the plan too risky. So in
2012, Kluesener started looking for her own premises. She set her sights on historic downtown Chandler, a regentrifying neighborhood close to a large, affluent retirement community. The only drawback? There was no retail. The whole landscape was dominated by restaurants. Then she got wind that one of the eateries was looking to get out of its lease.
“I knew I had to jump and worry about it later because it was an opportunity that wouldn’t come again,” Kluesener remembers. “I’d had a business plan for years, so I took it to a realtor I knew who was managing the property. He promised he’d pass it on to the landlord, but he had five other bids.”
Discouraged by those odds, she ducked into a local brewery for a pick-me-up beer. “I started talking to the bartender. When I mentioned the realtor, she told me they kept a bottle of Crown Royal Black above the bar just for him because it was his favorite,” says Kluesener. “I left, bought the biggest bottle of Crown Royal Black I could find, wrapped it up with a bow, and dropped it off to him. Two days later, my business plan was accepted. I had my store.”
She now had two months to convert a restaurant into a shoe boutique, including the build-out, going to shoe shows to purchase inventory, and convincing vendors to extend credit to her.
The task was made more formidable by the fact that her beloved father, just 55 years old, was dying of brain cancer. “I wish I’d had him around to see the Shoe Thrill,” she says. “He gave me such a sense of empowerment. He always believed I was capable of running my own business and holding my own in a male-dominated industry.”
The store’s name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to a joke between Kluesener and one of her brothers. “He used to mock me for being so into shoes. Whenever I’d go to work at the Shoe Mill, he’d say, ‘Enjoy working at the shoe thrill.’ I thought that was a fantastic name for a store. A thrill is exactly the emotion you want to feel when you purchase something.”
HONESTY
“The Thrill,” as fans call it, still hews close to Kluesener’s original vision, though she continues to push the envelope by adding new brands. “Every season I make it a little funkier,” she says. “I add something shoppers wouldn’t see unless they went to Europe. You can’t find my footwear at other comfort shoe stores, department stores, or even online.”
About 90 percent of the product in the 3,200-square-foot store is footwear, though Kluesener also stocks purses, jewelry, candles, leggings, and “anything else that I love so much I can’t keep it to myself,” she says.
Of the 16 brands she carries, OluKai is the perpetual bestseller. “That has been my number one brand since the beginning. It’s the
From left: Sandals are a year-round staple, with OluKai a perpetual top seller; Kluesener’s love of color is reflected in the mouthwatering mix on display at the Shoe
From left: An admiring look from Billy Joel, the canine version. Kluesener with the ends of her hair dyed to match her favorite boots.
Thrill.
Just the Way You Are
Carissa Krausman Kluesener is well aware that she’s “not everyone’s cup of tea,” largely because she’s outspoken and opinionated, by her own admission. “I’ve never in my life not had an opinion. Here’s her take on hot-button topics:
• On max-sole joggers: “I’m sick of the overly cushioned sneakers. People drink the Kool-Aid, but over-cushioning a shoe causes instability in your ankles, knees, and hips. So, great, your plantar fasciitis is fixed. But you screwed the rest of your body. It needs to be structure first, which means the base, the arch. Then you can add some cushion, but cushion is artificial comfort. It only lasts for a short period of time. It doesn’t do the work of distributing your weight properly. And there is no foot that does not need an arch support.”
• On orthotics: “I’m not into custom orthotics. Most customers have never had foot issues and all
of a sudden they have plantar fasciitis. So they go from crap shoes to a specialty store where they walk across a scanning machine. Then they’re sold an expensive German shoe only to have the store pull out the footbed, which is one of the reasons why the shoe is expensive, and put in a semicustom orthotic that they got just from scanning your feet. What does that scan tell you about the rest of your body? Nothing. I’m not just about treating your feet; I look at your body as a whole. I want people to feel good and look good. I want their quality of life to improve.”
• On the cost of shoes: “I spend money on three things—my footwear, my mattress, and a good electric toothbrush. If you don’t take care of your teeth, you’re not going to grow new ones. You’re going to have to pay for fake ones. A good mattress protects your back and gives you a good night’s sleep, which allows your body to heal. Poor quality of sleep? There goes your quality of life.
only one men collect,” she says. “After that, it goes back and forth because some brands are stronger in the winter, and others are stronger in the summer. Taos, Dansko, and Alegria are doing well. And Ara is really taking off right now.”
Of course, “winter” means something different in Arizona than it does in other regions, and that influences inventory. “I can sell sandals year-round. However, if you live here, you know we pretend we have seasons. If it drops below 85, we call it sweater weather. I have a customer for fall/winter styles, but I don’t carry a bunch of shearling-lined snow boots.”
Her clientele skews heavily female (about 80 percent of her customers are women) and older (55 to 80). About 64 percent of Shoe Thrill shoppers are repeat visitors. “A lot of my customers followed me from the Shoe Mill. I’ve known them since I was 20,” says Kluesener.
“The customers Carissa has accumulated along the way don’t shop anywhere else,” says Dansko’s Pereira. “That’s because she and her staff put in the time to make you feel like family. People consider the store their shoe home.”
The Shoe Thrill’s staff is small but tight-knit and dedicated—three young women who Kluesener considers honorary daughters. In fact, she and her staff know each other so well that it was a former employee who introduced her to her husband, a professor at a local college who holds a doctorate in bassoon. “She knew we’d be perfect for each other,” says Kluesener.
MY LIFE
Like its fellow footwear stores, the Shoe Thrill has faced its share of struggles lately. “It’s been incredibly challenging. The tariffs are the worst thing that could have happened to the shoe industry,” says Kluesener. “They’re especially directed at retailers like me, whose entire store is imported. We do not have the infrastructure to make these products here. To have all of our footwear go up $15 to $20 when I’m already carrying a premium product is difficult. It means that I pay myself less, because who can you pay less with things get hard?
Good footwear protects stability. It prevents pain and damage to your body.”
• On older customers: “Women aren’t like gallons of milk. We don’t expire. I don’t know why society treats us in that manner. We reach a certain age, and we’re told we have to dress a certain way. It doesn’t mean you can’t still have style. That’s always been my mission. Even when I’m an old lady, I don’t want to look like an old lady.”
• On surviving retail: “If you can service a difficult, cranky customer who is in pain, you can go do any job anywhere in life. Everything else will seem like a cakewalk.”
• On hiring: “I don’t hire people who don’t have extracurricular activities or hobbies. All my employees have played sports or instruments. If you’re involved in music or sports, you understand that you have to put forth effort to accomplish something.”
“Dansko was the first to let us know their prices were increasing, but since then every single brand has had an increase. Even socks have increased. I’ve been completely transparent every step of the way,” she continues. “Every time I got a tariff increase letter from a vendor, I passed it on to my customers through email, social media posts, and by explaining when people came in to shop so they would know as soon as I knew.”
She’s happy to report that business is finally starting to pick up again after what she calls “the worst summer since Covid.”
Kluesener is no stranger to challenges in retail or in life. In addition to the operation following her trampoline accident, she has had vein surgery on her injured leg, a prophylactic mastectomy to prevent the cancer that runs in her family, and more recently multiple disc replacements in her neck after years of epidurals and ablations.
Since the surgery she has recovered full range of motion, returned to lifting weights for the first time in seven years, and is back to training as a spin instructor. “If I can find a passion in the footwear industry and the fitness industry despite everything I’ve gone through, it shows people what they can be capable of,” she says.
Laughter helps in the hard times, too. Her philosophy? “You could have the most horrible things in the world happen to you, and if you have a sense of humor, you truly can get through anything.”
Kluesener hopes to parlay her knowledge into consulting for brands (something she already does informally) and eventually into designing footwear. She also plans to create a vlog to grow her presence as the shoe guru online and, by extension, grow business at the Shoe Thrill. Her fans have no doubt she’ll make it happen. Evans compares her to “the little train that could.”
“Carissa has remarkable sticktoitiveness. And her store is adorable. It’s welcoming. Even more important, it gives customers an experience,” says Evans. “I don’t care who you are or what kind of shopping you do, that’s what we all need when we go into a store. Sales increase because of the way Carissa does business.” •
MARY JANES HAVE A LITTLE GAME
A sporty spin on the classic dress silhouette.
Gabor Gets Going
A new parent company, a new logo, and a refreshed and refocused product line positions the German comfort brand for global growth.
By Greg Dutter
FIRST CAME THE GABOR makeover, unveiled in July and debuting with the Spring/Summer ’26 collection. It includes a new, “self-confident logo,” per a company press release, that subtly reflects the brand’s core comfort, quality, and style competencies through varying letter widths, a distinctive typeface, an updated brand color palette, and a progressive visual style complete with a signet. The same attention to detail has been applied to product design, packaging, digital and physical touchpoints, and all communication channels—all designed to deliver a “holistic, future-oriented brand experience.”
North America, further strengthening Gabor’s long-standing partnership with Kanner Group,” he says, adding, “While the brand has historically been very Europe-centric, the U.S. and Canada are set to play a significantly larger role in Gabor’s global expansion strategy.”
Then, in October, came Gabor’s acquisition by Swiss-based Arklyz AG. The sports, lifestyle, and fashion conglomerate snapped up the Euro comfort brand to beef up its portfolio, which includes ownership of The Athlete’s Foot and distribution agreements with Crocs, Adidas, and Salomon, among others. The acquisition provides Gabor the needed muscle to make its makeover goals a success.
“Gabor is a highly respected brand with deep roots in quality and comfort excellence,” states Param Singh, CEO of Arklyz AG, noting that the acquisition represents an important milestone in the company’s journey to become a global leader in premium footwear. “Gabor’s proven product expertise and trusted brand identity, paired with Arklyz’s global capabilities will create a powerful foundation for future business growth.”
Edward Kanner, CEO of Kanner Group and longtime North American distributor of Gabor, agrees. “When the acquisition was first announced, there was some understandable apprehension and uncertainty among European retailers,” he says. “That hesitation, though, has since turned into genuine excitement and confidence about the brand’s future.”
Kanner says the Swiss conglomerate opens an exciting new chapter, positioning Gabor for accelerated growth that includes a renewed emphasis on North America as a strategic marketplace. “Arklyz brings deep international distribution expertise and will help drive investment and expansion across
That takes us back to the makeover. Kanner believes it was time to hit refresh. “For 106 years, Gabor has been a proudly traditional, family-owned company, albeit perhaps a touch conservative,” he says. “Now we’re evolving with a fresher, faster, more fashion-forward and trend-driven edge, while continuing to uphold our renowned commitment to premium quality, comfort, and design excellence.” Kanner adds that the relaunch represents an allencompassing modernization. “Everything is being streamlined and refreshed—from logistics and article numbering to the new logo, visual identity, and packaging. The collections will also be simplified, more streamlined, and cohesive with less overlap.”
Gabor Comfort, Gabor Fashion, and the men’s Pius Gabor will now come together under Gabor.
Kanner says the brand-centric shift enables Gabor to focus on consumer-oriented marketing initiatives to spread awareness while highlighting its premium craftsmanship and “designed in Germany” heritage. It should serve as a jump start for further growth in this market. “Gabor North America has grown quietly, somewhat under the radar,” he says. “It’s time to get the word out.”
The refreshed Gabor should be welcome news to its North American accounts, Kanner believes. For starters, they could use the help amid a difficult landscape. ‘Independent retailers form the bulk of our business, and many are struggling of late,” he says. “So in the face of economic uncertainty,
weak consumer sentiment, retailer caution, and being pummeled by tariffs, we’re working harder than ever to support them through difficult times.” Kanner is confident it will get better, starting this spring. In the meantime, Gabor is holding its own. “We’re still managing to achieve solid, if moderate, sustained growth,” he reports.
Brands choosing to stand pat can send a weak message. Many retailers are looking for wholesale partners finding ways to navigate through this disruption. A lot of what worked no longer does. They want fresh ideas. Even better, they want solutions. Retailers also realize that they can’t do it alone. Thus, the Gabor relaunch as explained by CEO Stefan Blöchinger. The exec says the refresh includes a stronger emotional connection to the brand that makes it clear that Gabor is actively shaping its future. It’s not standing pat. “This will create even greater desirability for Gabor and put ourselves in pole position in the industry,” he says. Board member Sascha Negele adds that it marks the next step in its transformation, positioning Gabor as an “international, inspiring, brand-centric” entity with a clear focus on contemporary consumer needs. All totaled, it’s a lot of change. But there remain constants. Gabor will continue to stand for quality, best materials and workmanship, optimum fit for a broad range of foot types, and appropriate implementation of fashion trends. “We’ll continue to strengthen our outstanding product excellence and consistently expand our portfolio towards new target groups,” states Kristin Käpplinger, vice president of product. “We’re curating our collections in an even more targeted manner to present to both retailers and consumers a relevant and convincing range and to generate lasting enthusiasm for Gabor.” •
OH, BROTHER!
Talal Hassan, founder of Trend Boston, looks back on fulfilling his childhood dreams of retail entrepreneurship and what it took to get there.
DEAR 15-YEAR-OLD TALAL…Remember growing up in Beirut amid a loving retail family who preached and lived entrepreneurship as a part of everyday life? That shapes the way you see work, responsibility, and opportunity. The lesson is simple: If you believe in something, work hard and build it. That fuels your dreams of becoming a store owner, and I’m thrilled to inform you that it comes true!
It’s December 2025 and you’re now living in the United States. You own Trend Boston, a two-store shoes/outerwear boutique both located on Newbury Street, the city’s famous shopping district. You’ve always been fascinated by the idea of creating an environment where people can connect through great products. Mission accomplished!
Credit goes to Dad for helping you fulfill your dreams. He teaches you discipline and resilience. Starting out in 1984 in The Tannery stockroom— literally the ground floor—is where you learn the value of hard work and respect for every step of the retail process. It gives you an appreciation for the many details required to run a successful store. It’s also when you discover that retail is more than just a job; it’s a calling.
Much credit also goes to your brother, Tarek, who teaches you how vision, product, and community can come together in retail. A great store is much more than price and product. Done right, it’s a living entity with a vibe all its own. Community is the anchor. Without that, retail is just transactional. Tarek teaches you how to connect community and commerce. He’s the founder of CNCPTS, a pioneer in the sneaker and streetwear boutique culture. He’s a legend in this business. What an amazing asset he’s been for advice whenever needed.
Of course, not everything is seamless in life, especially running a retail operation. Timing is critical. Keep that in mind from the get-go—it will benefit you. Here’s some more advice:
• Start from the bottom: Don’t skip the fundamentals. Learn every role, respect the process, and build relationships. That’s the foundation of a long career.
• Believe in yourself: Go out on your own sooner! Independence brings clarity and allows you to trust your instincts fully.
• Embrace it: Remember to appreciate the freedom that comes with building something for yourself.
You make your retail bones at The Tannery. You learn a lot. You also learn to work really hard. But, like any true entrepreneur, you yearn to be the boss. That day comes with the opening of Trend Boston in 2016. You now have the freedom to shape your retail vision. That spans quality brands that seamlessly blend comfort, performance, and style; vintage tables with a European mid-century home feel; and background music that makes one feel like they’re vacationing in Southern France or on a road trip through the U.S. in the ’70s. No detail is too small. From how boxes are handled to how shelves are set to how customers are greeted, everything matters. Trend Boston is a full-on sensory shopping experience.
Over the ensuing three decades you become deeply involved in buying, building brand relationships, marketing, and creating a shopping experience that feels personal to each customer. You cherish the opportunity to curate assortments that speak to them as their needs and tastes evolve. You also love meeting the challenge of appealing to different generations. Above all, you love telling stories through great product and décor. While you’ll never forget the day you first opened the doors to your own business, the real milestones are the lasting relationships made with customers. Many are like family now.
• Clarity over speed: With the right team, structure, and access in place, execution becomes powerful. Without those fundamentals, effort alone won’t take you far.
• Stay close to the customer: Trends and technologies change but listening to people and understanding their needs is a constant.
• Honor thy staff: Collaboration with employees is essential to long-term success. A strong retail experience doesn’t happen without a team that feels empowered and trusted. Staff voice the company culture every day.
• Yin and Yang: Embrace the balance between tradition and innovation. Honor heritage while always staying curious. Tradition provides roots and credibility. Innovation keeps the business moving forward. Both are necessary.
• Boston is strong: Your adopted hometown shapes your sense of loyalty and authenticity. This market is discerning and honest. Bostonians don’t hold back on voicing their opinions, and as a retailer it’s crucial to listen to your customer.
• The customer is king: Customers increasingly expect more transparency, speed, and experience. Product alone isn’t enough. You must deliver service, trust, and a sense of connection.
• People come first: That draws on the lessons learned in the stockroom on through buying, building brand partnerships, and creating a lasting community.
• Change is good: Contrary to what many say today that people don’t want to shop in stores, that isn’t disappearing. It’s evolving. Physical stores still matter. But it’s changing faster than ever, which requires you to stay on your toes and constantly learn.
• Appreciate relationships: This business is about people, trust, and shared experiences. Those connections are what make the work worthwhile. Business is never just about one person. You must put yourself in other peoples’ shoes, pun intended, to maintain strong relationships.
You are a lucky man, Talal. What starts as a part-time job to help the family business becomes a passion and a lifelong career. It’s something you’ll be grateful for every day. It still makes you jump out of bed in the morning! The best part of the job? When a customer leaves Trend Boston more confident than when they arrived. That’s the ultimate reward!
Talal Hassan is living his retail dreams.
SUEDE RAVES
Napped leather is a touchy subject in men’s casual sneakers.
Merrell
GLOBE SPOTTING
Tracking street fashion in fashion capitals and beyond.
Photography by Melodie Jeng & Marcy Swingle
JANUARY
“While some of our competitors don’t like it when I sport my ‘No DTC’ cap at trade shows, I strongly believe that if we’re to be true partners with our retailers—the ones who brought us to the dance—then we shouldn’t complete directly against them.” —Prasad Reddy, CEO, Twisted X Global Brands
“Tariff increases will create a domino effect from the supply chain to wholesale to retail to all consumers. We must combat this through added value.”
—Adam Beck, CEO, Beck’s Shoes
FEBRUARY
“You’ve got to have chocolate and vanilla all the time, but you also need to have experimental stuff like lavender chocolate chip with macadamia nuts. Sometimes it goes over really well…You’ve got to go for it because that’s also what brings about success.” —Ryan Fleming, owner, Fleming’s Comfort Footwear
“The customer is everything. Tomorrow they could stop showing up. That’s why we have to treat them as best as we can, because they have lots of different places to purchases shoes.”
—Tim Hethcote, co-owner, Woldruff’s Footwear
MARCH
“Our team worked straight through (the L.A. wildfires), which wasn’t easy when our staff was fearful that they could lose their homes or knew someone who did. Big credit goes to them for doing their jobs, which I’m grateful for.”
—Glen Barad, CEO/ founder, Taos Footwear
“The best way to lose a customer is to bore them.”
—Murry Penner, owner, M Penner
JUNE
JULY
“I can’t tell you how many times a day someone comes into the store, we measure them and put shoes on them, and they say, You know, I haven’t had somebody put my shoes on since I was 10 years old.”
—Fred Satin, owner, Com-Fit Shoes
SAY WHAT?
Sorry 6-7 Gen Alphas, the industry word of the year is tariffs followed closely by turmoil, Trump, DTC, service, and AI.
AUGUST
“I hardly ever say no to any sort of sponsorship, raffle, or event. My community engagement is probably the smartest business decision I’ve made. Being so involved and being such a recognizable face brings in business.”
—Colby Horne, owner, Colburn Shoe Store
“We stopped wasting money on digital advertising. It’s not beneficial. Providing great customer service is much more effective. It creates repeat customers and referrals.”
—Shari Kirsh, co-owner, For Your Toes & Feet
APRIL/MAY
“The best customer is always the one in front of you.” —Lester Wasserman, co-owner, Tip Top Shoes
“I’m concerned that as technology advances and people look for the easiest solutions, we’ll lose our ability to imagine and create. The phrase, ‘just type it into AI’ sends chills down my spine.”
—Sam Spears, president, Ara North America
SEPTEMBER
“It’s a constant uphill battle, but what brings a smile to our faces is being able to change people’s lives—and putting a smile on their faces—by giving them a custom fit and taking away their pain immediately.” —Joe Gradia, co-owner, Hawley Lane Shoes
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
“The reality is none of us know where this (trade war) is landing. I sat with a major account of ours recently and they think it’s a tsunami and we’re not wet yet.” —Neal Taylor, CEO, Ecco Americas
“In an age where AI ‘prescribes’ what’s best by answering just a basic question, our expert fitters are the reason why we’ve survived and thrived this long.” —Will Nettleton, manager, Modern Shoe
DECEMBER
“To see families get emotional about potentially losing third- and fourth-generation businesses is just gut-wrenching. The president can be cavalier about the impact (of tariffs), but this is hurting people who helped elect him.” —Andy Gilbert, head of FDRA’s Footwear Innovation Foundation
“If we wanted to start a shoe factory in the U.S. today, it’d be a minimum of 12 months—and that would be if everything went perfect. Finding workers, for starters, would be very difficult. We already struggle to staff the BBQ restaurant inside our outlet store as well as our warehouse. Even at $25 an hour to work in a shoe factory…I don’t think enough people will do that.” —Jason Brooks, CEO, Rocky Brands
“You don’t make money selling one pair at a time. You need to sell 50, 500, 1,000 pairs, etc. at a time, and you can only do that through retailers.” —Michael Abrams, SVP sales, Lady Couture and Ninety Union
“Collaboration with employees is essential to longterm success. A strong retail experience doesn’t happen without a team that feels empowered and trusted. Staff voice the company culture every day.”
—Talal Hassan, owner, Trend Boston
HIGHLIGHT
REEL
Moto and cowboy boots; sneakerinas and snoafers; Castlecore and Fishermancore; party pumps and platforms; trendy prints, materials, and sneaker charms; boat shoes, derbys, and boho slides…another year in the footwear fashion books.
The Miles and Memories of a Footwear Journey
Greg A. Tunney bids a fond farewell to the industry that served him well for more than three decades.
IBEGAN MY CAREER in the footwear industry more than 30 years ago as an executive trainee with May Company. Little did I know then that I’d fall in love with all-things shoes and make it a lifelong profession. The product, people, pace—I loved all of it.
Over the years, I’ve lived in St. Louis; Upstate New York; Bangor, ME; San Diego; Columbus, OH; Grand Rapids, MI, Winnipeg, Canada; and Park City, UT. I’ve traveled more than four million miles and visited 120 countries. I’ve met incredible people and partnered with wonderful companies. I even rang the morning bell on the Amex and Nasdaq stock exchanges! The memories will stay with me forever.
“The joy is the journey.”
When I started, the U.S. produced 90 percent of footwear consumed in this country. Today, 98 percent of our footwear is imported. I’ve witnessed the migration of manufacturing from the U.S. to Europe, Brazil, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, and the Philippines. Being on the ground in these countries was the experience of a lifetime.
“Shift happens.”
I’ve experienced the rise and fall of retail channels. The transformation of our industry has been nothing short of extraordinary. Who’d have predicted, in the 1990s, that Dillard’s, a small, family-run department store based in Little Rock, AR, would become the channel leader? Similarly, did anyone back then foresee athletic footwear becoming an everyday fashion staple for all ages and occasions? Then there’s the exponential growth of discount retailers such as Costco, TJX, Walmart, and, of course, Amazon. Love ’em or hate ’em, each of these companies have revolutionized the game of retail.
“Retail is a business of change.”
I learned this business the old-fashioned way. At May Company I learned how to be a merchant. What
an amazing experience! At Brown Shoe I learned domestic manufacturing, design, and product development. At Phoenix Footwear Group I dove into operations, finance, and sourcing. I also learned what bank leverage is all about. At R.G. Barry I learned the accessories business. At Wolverine Worldwide I learned international licensing. If you’re not a global brand, you’re just another label. Above all, I learned that you never stop learning.
“Knowledge is power.”
I’ve worked through booms and busts, a retail apocalypse, social unrest, a pandemic, trade wars, port strikes, the digital revolution…you name it. Each challenge reshaped the way brands connect with consumers. Adapt or die.
“Know your craft and good things happen.”
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of serving as chairman of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America and Two Ten Footwear Foundation. It’s inspiring to see so many talented people dedicate their time and energy to the greater good of our industry. My advice: serve and get involved in these wonderful organizations. I’ve also had the honor of leading exceptional teams as CEO of R.G. Barry, Manitobah Mukluks, and KNS International.
“Leadership is always a gift and an opportunity to serve. Invest in your people and your people will invest in your business.”
Over the course of my footwear journey I’ve come across characters, titans, and pure breed shoe dogs. Many are dear friends. I thank them for their wisdom and company. You made the miles fly by.
“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”
I’ve worked for great companies and not-so-great ones. Companies with strong ownership and notso-strong. I’ve had supportive boards and difficult
ones. I’ve worked for public and private companies. Both have advantages and disadvantages. I’ve also worked extensively with private equity firms. PE has altered our industry landscape, alas not for the better.
“The fish always stinks from the head down.”
I’m a lucky man, though. Our industry has been very good to me and my family. The good far outweighs any bad. Opportunity knocked and I answered— again and again. The journey has taken me around the world—again and again. Like Johnny Cash, I’ve travelled every road in this here land.
“Never underestimate what you can accomplish and where you will go in the long term.”
My greatest accomplishment, however, isn’t professional. It’s personal. I’ve been happily married for more than 40 years, and the love and support of my wife, Heidi, and our family made everything possible.
“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
Now, as most people look to travel in retirement, I think I’ll do the opposite. I’ll stay right at home in beautiful Park City, UT, and toasty Scottsdale, AZ, enjoying nature and spending quality time with family and friends. I welcome all fellow shoe dogs to stop by for a visit. We’ll reminisce. We’ll laugh a lot
In the meantime, I’ll keep a toe in my beloved industry, serving on a few boards. Who knows, maybe I’ll go back to being an adjunct professor. Maybe I’ll mentor at a shoe start-up. Maybe I’ll even be lured back for another run.
“Never say never in the shoe business.”
A heartfelt thank you to the industry that I love! Thank you for the memories, the miles, and the journey.
All the best,
Greg A. Tunney
DERBYS FOR DUDES
Sorel leather Derbys with removable molded EVA footbeds. Derby-inspired laser-cut leather platform flats by Django & Juliette
Hand-painted leather Derbys with 2.5-inch stacked heels by L’Artiste Opposite page: Ara metallic leather Derby wingtips with cushioned insoles.
NeroGiardini platform lug-sole Derbys with stud detailing.
Opposite page, from left: Ribbon-laced leather Derby by All Black; slip-on cap toe Derby with hidden stretch gore inserts and removable insole by Aetrex
4CCCCEES wingtip Derbys with lightweight foam rubber soles. Opposite page, from left: Derby-inspired moc toe wedges with nickel-free buckles and recycled rubber outsoles by Famolare; patent leather Derbys with high-rebound thermoplastic rubber soles by Clarks
Alegria Derbys with stain-resistant uppers and removable contoured footbeds. Opposite page, from left:
Calfskin polka dot Derby with OrthoLite recycled insoles by Camper; waterproof cashmere suede Derby with Poron midsole by Ron White
IN 1978, Dave Bailey launched Danform Shoes as a wood soled clogs manufacturer in Colchester, VT. However, clogs cycled in and out of fashion, so Bailey added a retail component—a folding card table in the middle of his factory. The seeds to a Vermont-sized, retail empire took root.
Through meetings with Danform Shoes’ local retailers, Bailey got the inside scoop on best-selling brands and styles. He then made the leap, in the early ’80s, to a multi-branded operation, opening stores in Shelburne and Saint Albans City. (Burlington opened in 2000.) Bailey’s wife and Danform Shoes co-owner, Helen, joined in 1982 and has successfully managed day-to-day responsibilities since.
The merchandise mix spans Birkenstock, Hoka, Bos. & Co., Kizik, Naot, Reef, Sorel, Ugg, and Xtratuf, among others. The other key ingredient that sets Danform Shoes apart is customer service. “Our staff has been with us for 10, 20, 30 years, and with that comes a level of expertise that you won’t find at stores with frequent employee turnover,” Helen says. “Our Shelburne manager, Sean, likens his body of knowledge to an internal Rolodex that he accesses to match the customer’s foot to the perfect shoe. We also believe shoe shopping should be fun—there’s a lot of laughter and real relationships built on our sales floor.”
Top-selling brands? Birkenstock, Dansko, Hoka, Brooks, Keen, Merrell, Taos and Blundstone—all great companies to partner with. Next up: Ugg, Rieker, New Balance, Oboz, Aetrex, Skechers, and On.
Best new brand added recently? Topo. Customers love the fit right out of the box. It’s an ideal brand for Vermonters who love being outdoors, and it checks all the boxes for foot-healthy design, which is at the core of what we do.
Top-selling accessories? Darn Tough socks and Hobo bags.
What do you attribute Danform Shoes’ staying
power to most? For the first two-thirds of our history, we delivered value by working on lower margins with superior service. Then along came MAP pricing and we could no longer define value by low prices, so we now accentuate our customer service, which spans ambiance, employees, and fittings. It all has to be better than our competitors, and that has kept us relevant. Another factor: we carried brands, like Blundstone and Birkenstock, before they became popular.
What’s the best way to reach customers? Our most powerful marketing is the customer experience that happens every day in our stores. A happy customer is a customer for life who also encourages their friends to shop with us. Email and social media are also essential channels. They allow us to visually tell our story and highlight our staff and the solutions we provide.
Fastest growing customer segment? Younger customers are more interested in comfort than ever before. We see a lot of Gen Zers coming in with their moms and grandparents for fun, only to leave with a few purchases of their own. We love watching a twentysomething realize we’re not their mother’s shoe store.
How was business this year? Challenging, but we worked hard for good numbers. A highlight was our first tent sale in five years. Our customers love the deals, finding hidden treasures with friends, and reconnecting with staff.
Biggest challenge facing your business? The economy and staffing. Our relationship with vendors has also changed. We’re just as important to
our reps, but DTC is half of our vendors’ business. We’re competing for the same customers. While pricing is mostly a level playing field, the biggest pain point is customers seeing styles on DTC that we can’t get for them, which forces them to choose between loyalty to their local store and a shoe they might have their heart set on. As far as staffing, retention comes with a price. Staff stay because we pay them well enough, we take care of them, and we give them a job that fits their lifestyle so they’re as happy. We make a point to be there for them when they need us. In return, they have been critical to our success at every level.
Top community outreach efforts? Quarterly donation drives with Food Shelf, Humane Society, and agencies supporting immigrants and at-risk youth. Our customers love taking part. When they donate, we offer a discount. It’s a win-win for our community. We also have an ongoing shoe recycling program with the proceeds going to The Turning Point, an organization that supports Vermonters in addiction recovery.
What are you most proud of regarding Danform Shoes? That we’re still here and how much we’ve overcome. We’ve stood the test of time.
Any advice for fellow independents? Don’t give up. Put the customer first in all your decisions: hiring, marketing, and brands.
Where do you envision Danform Shoes in three years? To be as successful as we are now and possibly a fourth store. We look forward to passing the torch to some of our children who’ve grown up in this business.
Sean and Robin Bailey are following in the footsteps their parents; a Who’s Who of top comfort brands await.
ThreadsFootloose & Fancy
Lincoln,
NE
IFTY YEARS AGO, Jim and Marla McCabe opened Footloose & Fancy—the country’s third Birkenstock flagship. In 2002, employee Jane Stricker and husband Matt took over as owners. Ten years later, they added “Threads” to the name and introduced apparel to the downtown shop. In 2022, the business moved across the street to a larger space with a bar for customers who enjoy sipping and shopping.
In addition to a big Birkenstock selection, the men’s and women’s mix spans sneakers from Gola, Taos, and Saola; sandals by Chaco, Teva, and Tread Labs; and boots from Blundstone, Frye, and The North Face. Chinese Laundry, Dansko, and Kork-Ease help round out the casual section. It’s a “do good, be good” blend of brands that are environmentally-friendly, give back to communities, and create organizations that benefit the greater good.
The store’s five-person team prioritizes service that can’t be found online. Every customer is fitted properly. Lead buyer Stricker and manager Chelsea Walz enjoy building long-term relationships with customers. “We love our customers! They remind us how fun and thoughtful people are,” Walz says. “When a customer turns into a friend, that’s when you know you’ve made it.”
Top-selling brands? Birkenstock Boston clog in taupe suede and Blundstone 550 boots.
Best new brands added recently? Pajar snow boots and Gola sneakers.
Top-selling accessories? Clothing from Vuori, The North Face, Patagonia, and Pendleton. Also, Baggu bags and accessories.
Keys to your store’s longevity? Carrying the best selection of the brands we offer along with kind and thoughtful service, placing special orders for customers, and free home delivery in Lincoln.
Core customer? Women ages 25-75. We do our best to have something for everyone. At market, we ask each other who’d wear certain styles and have to name a specific customer in order to bring them in.
Most effective way to reach customers? Direct mail is still the biggest bang for our buck. As far as social media, we primarily use Instagram.
Fastest-growing customer segment? Women ages 35-60 whose feet hurt and want to see why people rave about Birkenstocks. We love first-time Birkenstock customers!
Are you targeting younger consumers? Two blocks from the University of Nebraska, we’ve tried to attract students, but it’s difficult. That age group struggles to shop in a store. They’re more comfortable ordering online, and seem uncomfortable when approached, especially if you suggest a try-on. Still, we offer an in-store discount with student ID. We’ve also tried booths at campus events and posters with a QR code for our Instagram that includes a giveaway incentive if they follow. While these customers love what we carry, our price points are more than what the average college student can afford. We do, however, find that they bring their parents in to shop on football Saturdays, parents weekend, etc.
Anything unique about the Lincoln customer? Customers want everything in Husker red! We need a Husker red Birkenstock Arizona as a core shoe.
How was business this year? Flat, which is a win. Customers have less disposable income, so they’re shopping for “does it all” styles. We’ve also learned that if people have extra income, they’re spending it on experiences and trips rather than material items.
Smartest decision this year? Being closed Tuesdays in January and February. We can’t figure out why but year-round, Tuesdays are the worst for sales.
Biggest challenge facing your business? Customers afraid to spend money. We’re trying to bring in all price points to accommodate that as well as educating customers on why it’s beneficial to invest in higher-quality products that last longer.
Are tariffs an issue? We’re canceling orders, if we can, if the prices are too high. It’s been frustrating because we pre-season order a year in advance, and some prices have been voided. We’ve also ordered at-once. This has worked in our favor with brands that don’t offer preseason discounts and dating.
Which is worse: tariffs or DTC sites? DTC sites! It’s so frustrating to compete with brands directly.
Leading community outreach efforts? Drives for the Food Bank of Lincoln, donating shoe boxes to the Humane Society, and donating auction items and gift cards to several local charitable organizations.
What are you most proud of regarding your business? Our nomination for Best Retailer by The New York Times, celebrating 50 years, and Jane’s 2025 Birkenstock Lifetime Achievement award.
Advice for fellow independents? Provide customers with service they’ll come back for. When money is tight, you want customers to feel reassured that they’re spending it wisely. Expertise and service provide this reassurance.
What does your staff mean to you? Everything! It’s a small, tight-knit crew, and we couldn’t run the business without them.
Dynamic duo: Jane Stricker and Chelsea Walz; a head-to-toe lifestyle assortment awaits shoppers.
ALL THE TRIMMINGS
Lace details add a lady-like touch to sporty styles.
Nothing You Don’t. Everything You Need.
Introducing the Zoe Pro Scanner. Engineered to Bring the Future of Shoe Fitting to Everyone.
Where Precision Meets Simplicity. Inspired by the way Tesla made game changing technology widely accessible with the launch of Models 3 & Y, we set out to reengineer foot scanning from the inside out. Our mission: eliminate cost and complexity without compromising performance.
In just eighteen months, our engineers successfully removed 260 internal components, fully optimizing
system architecture. Simultaneously, we advanced our sensor and camera technologies to deliver higher precision in a simplified user presentation.
The final result: the Zoe Pro. A breakthrough in thoughtful engineering, delivering world-class performance at a price that finally makes advanced 3D scanning widely accessible.
This is the future of shoe fitting. And it fits everyone.
