FOOTWEAR NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
FOOT
LOCKER @
FORTY
BIG THREATS
What keeps today’s
top execs up at night?
LITTLE LADS
Why the boys’ business
looks so handsome
POWER LOCK
Hot products, cool concepts and smart leadership propelled Foot Locker to the top
of the retail game. Now the athletic force, which marks its fourth decade, is prepping
for even more by focusing on women, Europe and the digital landscape.
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UP FRONT × ON DEADLINE × NEWSMAKERS
High
Alert
What’s worrying some of today’s top
leaders? Find out what’s on their minds as
they ponder major challenges and prime
opportunities. BY ERIKA FLYNN
Danny
Schwartz
A
n uncertain economic climate,
more-demanding consumers and an ever-evolving
e-commerce sector are keeping
footwear industry insiders up at
night. Sourcing and pricing pressures remain
major concerns and are powering
business forward.
Here, industry executives
open up about what is top of
mind and the steps they’re
taking to stay successful.
Michele
Levy
Stacey
Bendet
Josue
Solano
Greg
Tunney
PHOTOS: FAIRCHILD ARCHIVES
Thomas
Florsheim Jr.
David Miller
Tarek Hassan
Liz Rodbell
Joe Ouaknine
Kevin Bailey
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Approved with warnings
INSIDER
UP FRONT × Executive Report
ers. With Vietnam being the No.
2 supplier to the U.S. market and
growing, the TPP will allow pricing
relief and become one of the most
commercially significant free-trade
agreements ever when it’s finally
enacted.”
Joe Ouaknine, CEO; Titan Industries
“To stay competitive, we need to
make more collections than before
and cannot stay with a particular style too long since it can be
knocked off so rapidly. We’re also
dealing with the ongoing rising
costs in manufacturing in China.
These issues are on our daily
agenda, and we find a way to remain
players in this industry.”
Mandy Cabot, founder, CEO; Dansko
“So far in 2014, the industry has
been experiencing the brunt of
waning consumer confidence and
tightening of the purse strings.
Dansko isn’t taking a wait-and-see
approach. It’s about being a good
business partner to our retailers.
Headed into fall, we are increasing
efforts to drive traffic to our retail
partners, including launching
new product in the fourth quarter
to keep the shelves fresh, giving
consumers even more reasons to
love the brand and frequent our
retailers.”
Daniel Schwartz, CEO; Schwartz &
Benjamin
“Sourcing continues to occupy a
lot of our attention. We’re in the
fashion business, so we have to
create exciting, innovative product.
But that’s not enough today — we
have to provide value and have
great sourcing. We need to be in
the best factories for every type of
footwear product we put into our
collections. We hired a new head of
sourcing, and we’re also in the process of restructuring our product
development organization.”
Greg Tunney, president, CEO, RG Barry
Brands; chairman, FDRA
“The biggest issue we see is the continuing evolution of global sourcing. About 80 percent of production
today comes out of China, but that’s
changing as suppliers chase lower
costs. Duties on footwear is another
critical issue. The pending permanent free-trade agreement through
the Trans-Pacific Partnership
needs to be completed for consum4|
Liz Rodbell, president; Lord & Taylor,
Hudson’s Bay Co.
“The boot business has come on
extremely strong. We believe it is a
great opportunity for us to continue
to grow. [Also] we’re renovating
our flagship and continuing store
renovations at other locations.
Our success online in footwear is
dramatic.”
Thomas Florsheim Jr., chairman,
CEO; Weyco Group
“The cost of our product and overhead expenses continue to rise, but
the middle-market consumer has
less disposable income. It becomes
incumbent on brands like us to
offer more in our product to justify
a higher price point. We’re spending much more time in design and
development, making sure we build
product to hit specific price targets,
and at the same time create shoes
with more features and benefits.
We’re ramping up our digital and
social media efforts, and have new
marketing programs in place.”
Tarek Hassan, co-owner; The Tannery
“My challenge is customer loyalty
and how can we maintain it. The
solution is clearly defining what our
unique selling propositions are and
making sure that our shop floor
is aligned. We also work hard to
have must-have product in-store
and online, and maximize sellthrough before the major players
out there come through and jump
on it. Social media plays a big part
in achieving that. It’s not enough to
sit back and wait for customers to
walk into the store — we need to be
able to reach out to those guys in a
major way.”
Danny Wasserman, president; Tip
Top Shoes
“The lack of traffic in stores is
our biggest threat. With people
shopping on the Internet, a good
segment of our business is being
taken. We’re investing a great deal
of time and money to become part
of that shopping mall. We’re
rebuilding our website from
scratch and are taking it as seriously as opening a new brick-andmortar store.”
David Miller, CEO; Minnetonka
Moccasin
“We were slow to adapt to social
media, but now that we’re there,
we’re moving quickly. But one
of the things that keeps me up
at night is [that being active on
social media] is a double-edged
sword. The Internet gives people
a platform to voice their opinions,
so someone who is not happy can
make a lot of noise. We’ve tried
to be really responsive when that
happens.”
Josue Solano, EVP, COO;
BBC International
“The consumer keeps me up at
night. We spend a lot of time thinking about what they’re looking for
and helping our retail partners
meet their needs. The consumer is
changing in terms of their shopping patterns. What’s driving that
is technology. They’re becoming
much more demanding, and they
have a lot of choices about where
they can go to shop, whether it’s
online or in brick-and-mortar
stores. And as they become more
demanding, it adds up to a complex
set of problems for us as provider.”
Danny Wasserman
Michele Levy, U.S. CEO; Melissa
“The world right now is very unstable. Syria, Ukraine, Russia, Israel,
Europe. Ebola. There are so many
social, political and economic
challenges and crises in the global
arena. That is counterbalanced by
a generally strong U.S. economy
in some sectors and weakness in
others. We see a lot of pressure
on the large-box businesses and a
contraction in the small shops in
the U.S. This uncertainty creates an
opportunity to continue to focus
on captivating ... our customers.”
Stacey Bendet, CEO, creative director; Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet
“For the remainder of 2014, we are
focused on our continued retail
expansion, both domestically
and internationally. With six new
stores opening this fall, I want
to make sure each one is treated
specially and in an exciting way,
whether it be in Atlanta, Georgetown [in Washington, D.C.], or
even Shanghai.”
David Ben-Zikry, CEO; Spring
Footwear Corp.
“Staying on top of the evolving
market, especially with new technology, is a high priority for us, as
well as connecting with our end
consumers. Our focus is to create
simplicity and organization in our
presentation and our connection.
We’ve improved our merchandising and organized our product line.
A new showroom in our headquarters has a modern look, and we’re
now trying to incorporate that into
the retail level.”
PHOTO: FAIRCHILD ARCHIVES
Kevin Bailey, president; VF Action
Sports, Vans
“We’re seeing shifts in consumer
traffic trends. Whether brick-andmortar or online, consumer behavior is changing both on a day-to-day
basis and as related to shopping
occasions like back-to-school and
holiday. Understanding these shifts
and, more importantly, the ‘why’ is
critical. Staying current to the speed
of change is even harder. We’re
utilizing deep consumer research
to better understand consumers’
‘whys’ of shopping, their desires
and needs, as well as their opinions
about the ‘how’ of shopping, online
and in-store.”
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INSIDER
Top Stories × ON DEADLINE
Europe Woes Weigh on Micam Attendees
BY EMILY BACKUS
MILAN — The uneven economic recovery in Europe is prompting many
international footwear companies to
alter their strategies, according to key
players interviewed at Micam here
last week.
Micam President Cleto
Sagripanti, who owns Italian Holding
Moda (IHM), said he was building a
portfolio of made-in-Italy brands to
capture different market segments
and exploit group synergies for the
supply chains.
Sagripanti said he was concerned
that European retailers were reluctant to strike multi-season agreements with suppliers to speed up
delivery response times in the way
U.S. retailers do.
Luca Ferrari, owner of Effegi — the
Italian shoemaker behind Canguru
and Freemood brands — closed its
Inside the
Micam show
women’s and children’s lines over
the past several years to concentrate
on more-profitable men’s shoes.
Ferrari said his company is now
“contemplating” moving production
back to Europe from India to reduce
response times for retailers.
Bonis, the Italian shoemaker that
holds the U.S. Polo Assn. license for
Europe, is expanding its product
range and adding distribution in
northern Europe, which has better
credit conditions and faster payments than in southern Europe, said
President Augusto Bonetto.
In fact, the firm severed ties with a
number of southern European clients
last year due to credit issues. While
sales are edging up slightly this year,
the company will more likely not
return to growth until 2015, he added.
For their part, buyers at Micam
said unusual weather has proven
to be a major hazard for retail sales
in the last 12 months, especially for
northern and eastern Europe.
Unseasonably warm weather in
autumn impacted winter shoe sales
in the Netherlands, triggering a local
price war among retailers, reported
Nico Taphoorn, managing director
of Taft-Oscar, a store in Hoofddorp.
The cozy temperatures also drove
down boot sales in Bulgaria, said
Pepina Madjarova, who runs nine
designer shoe stores that sell brands
such as Casadei, Calvin Klein and
Roberto Cavalli.
Rain then hampered summer
business. But when the sun came
out in mid-August, “sales boomed,”
Taphoorn added.
Enzo Auciello, owner of the Brussels store Y-Enzo, said he is overcoming weather woes by relying
more on e-commerce.
Auciello added that, at the show, he
was looking for eye-catching, creative
product, but found too many conservative styles instead.
“Everything is aimed at economy.
[Suppliers] go for the sure thing,”
he lamented.
Roberto Zecchini, a buyer from
the Bologna, Italy-based store
Michel Calzature, said comfort continues to be key for consumers, with
customers gravitating toward lower
heels and flats. A notable exception?
Casadei’s highly recognizable “bladelike” stilettos that have sold well for
four years straight.
Comfort Rules Floor at Atlanta Shoe Market
ATLANTA — Casual, comfortable
and colorful styles dominated retailer
spring ’15 buys at the August edition
of the Atlanta Shoe Market.
While the lack of trends has made
finding key styles difficult in the past
few seasons, buyers did come armed
with specific features to look for, especially footbeds and comfort flats.
Gary Weiner, president of Virginia multi-store independent Saxon
Shoes, said he was still looking for
the newness in the market and was
reserving a number of spring buys
for flats. “We’ve seen flats, espadrilles and skimmers in great colors,”
Weiner said. “[The lack of clear
trends] is one of the biggest problems
in the industry. There isn’t anything
new and exciting right now. We are
looking to reduce our inventory, spice
it up more and certainly aim to turn
things faster.”
Kathy Murphy, owner of Kathy’s
Shoes in Thomasville, Ga., said she
was also looking for comfort that
has the fashion-forward edge for her
shoppers. She stocks brands such as
Toms, Fly London, Chaco and Naot.
“Spring ’15 is really about comfort.
All women are demanding it now —
even the young girls who didn’t even
care expect it, ” Murphy said. “Naot
has been big with the footbed trend
for us because everybody wants the
feeling of the comfort and support.”
Sugar Shoe Lounge in Winter Park,
Fla., mixes a variety of brands, including Gentle Souls, Bernie Mev, Coye
Nokes and United Nude.
“In the South, our ladies want
to be more feminine, so if it has a
comfort or athletic sole, they want a
feminine upper,” said owner Marsette
Mangum. “It’s a lot about colors and
comfort for us in spring, and rain
boots will do well for us, too.”
Tiffany Perry, owner of Perry Footwear and who came to the show from
Bermuda, was shopping for men’s,
women’s and children’s looks for her
stores. Her store carries a higher-tier
price point for styles ranging from
Guess to Marc by Marc Jacobs.
“For women, we look at color and
a lot at flats. Our customer is buying
a lot of the trendier, strappy flats that
aren’t basic and simple,” she said. “We
tried the footbed this past spring and
wasn’t sure how it would go, but it did
well. We’ll do more next year, but will
do it in bright colors and neon soles.”
For men’s, Perry was looking for
comfortable, interesting sandals and
casual sneakers. She said Lacoste was
a strong label for the men’s category,
and also cited Donald J. Pliner and
Guess as key brands.
Rack Room Shoes buyer Steve Mahan was less enthusiastic about the
trends, citing the saturation of Bernie
Mev- and Birkenstock-inspired styles
and the lack of dressed-up looks.
“The biggest disappointment right
now is dress shoes,” he said. “There is
just nothing new.”
Laura Conwell-O’Brien, executive director of the Atlanta Shoe
Market, said she saw an uptick in
attendance at the show and was
pleased with the quality of retailers
and brands attending.
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF MICAM
BY MARGARET SUTHERLIN
|5
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Lord & Taylor Unveils
Fresh Look for Shoe Space
BY MARGARET SUTHERLIN
SPY
Double Trouble
The Dannijo sisters are off on a Mongolian roadtrip. At least, that was the inspiration for their spring ’15 presentation, where models donned the pair’s newly minted
footwear collection. “We were set on accessorizing our girl from head to toe, and it’s exciting
to have shoes in the show,” said designer Jodie Snyder of the spring debut of more than
20 styles. And to stick with the theme of travel, the designers showcased flat sandals and
gladiator-inspired looks in neutrals and metallics. “My sister, [Danielle Snyder], is wearing
the heel version of them. I’m not a sample size, so I’m still waiting for my pair,” Jodie Snyder
said. The duo also planned to hit the New York Fashion Week circuit for several shows,
including Timo Weiland. “We definitely love to support our friends,” Jodie Snyder said.
Afterward, she will gear up for another new addition. “I’m due in February, so everything I’m
into is kids,” she said, hinting that the line could expand to children’s shoes, too.
Wedding Bells
Tube Talk
Ron White is tying the knot again.
This time, it’s with iconic bridal retailer
Kleinfeld, which recently bowed a
mega-boutique in Hudson’s Bay Co.’s
flagship in downtown Toronto. The
designer, who
Kleinfeld
operates a
Toronto
string of eponymous stores
in Canada in
addition to a
namesake line,
will be offering
his first-ever
bridal collection
exclusively for Kleinfeld in January.
The collaboration came about after
Bonnie Brooks, vice chairman of Hudson’s Bay, suggested the designer create
bridal looks for Kleinfeld, the Manhattan location of which is the setting of
hit reality TV series “Say Yes to the
Dress.” White said comfort was a key
factor in the line, having watched brides
kick off their uncomfortable shoes after
their ceremonies and then run around
barefoot. Included in the collection,
priced from $395 to more than $500,
are pumps, halters and strappy sandals
in luxe materials such as crushed crystals on suede. “It’s fun to envision what
a princess wants to wear,” White said.
Kristin Cavallari is back on the small
screen. The Chinese Laundry collaborator signed on earlier this year as
a cohost on E!’s “The Fabulist,” which
focuses on fashion, beauty and lifestyle topics. And while the guest list is
always rotating, Cavallari is hoping for
one special name to appear on set. “I
would die if Kate Moss came on, she
is my ultimate style icon,” Cavallari
said. On screen, she’s managed to give
her brand partners some play, too. “I
love wearing tons of different heels.
It’s a great time to show off my favorites,” she said.
As for her
spring ’15
Kristin
Cavallari
collection,
the designer
focused on
earth colors
and yellows.
“I’m including
more muted
tones than is typical in spring, which
I love,” she added. While Cavallari,
now a mother of two, is busier than
ever, she still finds time for sketching.
“Luckily my hours are flexible, so I
can work on my shoe designs during nap time or after [my kids] go to
sleep,” she said.
By Kristen Henning, with contributions from Barbara Schneider-Levy
6|
NEW YORK — The battle of the
department store shoe floors
continues, and Lord & Taylor
is the latest player to get in
on the action.
The retailer, which is owned
by Hudson’s Bay Co., renovated
the existing space on the second
floor. The revamp officially debuts this week as part of a larger
transformation.
The floor has a clean, contemporary and feminine aesthetic,
complete with white hydrangeas, mercury glass accents, a
mixture of marble and brass
fixtures, and cozy chairs and
couches. It is adjacent
to the recently opened
Brand Assembly, a curated apparel shop-inshop for new designers,
and also Birdcage, an
accessory-driven, fashion-forward shop set to
open this October.
“Footwear is an
extremely important
part of our business,
and it continues to be
a great focus,” said Liz Rodbell,
president of Hudson’s Bay. “It’s
a multifaceted renovation with
the lovely new space for footwear and new contemporary
additions like Brand Assembly
and Birdcage. It’s taking the
second floor and moving it
forward in a fashion leadership
position, and footwear is an
important part of that.”
Besides a completely updated
design, the footwear space also
boasts an expanded product assortment. Lord & Taylor buyers
are seeking out new brands for
the floor to add to tried-andtrue labels such as Steve Madden and Vince Camuto.
Among the fresh additions
are Matt Bernson, Carolinna
Espinosa, Pollini and Lord &
Taylor private label 424 Fifth,
as well as a greater number of
exclusive styles from existing
brands.
The retailer is also investing in its athletic offering and
bringing in names such as Nike.
The diverse product mix is
aimed at Lord & Taylor’s broad
demographic range, from
millennials to baby boomers,
Rodbell said.
Moving forward, the retailer will replicate the footwear
department in its Albany, N.Y.,
location. It will then remodel
several other stores, though it
hasn’t disclosed those locations.
“We’re looking at how footwear will play an important
The floor boasts an
expanded roster of vendors
role in any renovation that
we’re doing,” Rodbell said.
Vendors are upbeat about
the increased focus on the
shoe category.
“Lord & Taylor continues
to develop their footwear
departments into true focal
areas, not only in the New
York flagship, but in branch
stores as well,” said David
Kahan, CEO of Birkenstock
USA. “This builds consumer
loyalty. Customers know they
can find compelling brands
and be treated to a high level
of customer service.”
The retailer will fete the new
space at an event on Wednesday, with designers including
Sam Edelman, Vince Camuto
and Ivanka Trump expected to
make an appearance.
PHOTOS: DANNIJO: COURTESY OF BILLY FARRELL AGENCY; KLEINFELD: GETTY IMAGES; CAVALLARI: COURTESY OF CHINESE LAUNDRY; LORD & TAYLOR: GEORGE CHINSEE
Dannijo spring ’15
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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MARKETPLACE
CHILDREN’S × MATERIALS & COMPONENTS
Riding
High
PHOTO: COURTESY OF FLORSHEIM
The boys’ market is on the move.
Major fashion action in the men’s
category is driving interest in
casual dress shoes for kids,
such as these styles
from Florsheim.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 |
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MARKETPLACE
CHILDREN’S × Category Revival
Boy Story
Sparked by new energy in the men’s market, retailers and vendors
are paying more attention to the little guys. BY ERIN E. CLACK
T
he boys’ casual shoe market is making
a comeback.
Sparked in part by the metamorphosis of men’s fashion, more vendors are
addressing a category that has long
been overlooked, introducing sophisticated
collections that offer a stylish alternative to
athletic shoes. Veteran men’s label Florsheim
was early to the scene with the 2012 launch of a
boys’ takedown line. A number of other brands
followed, including, most recently, Nina, which
last month debuted Elements by Nina in stores
for back-to-school.
For kids’ retailers, the new
Elements by Nina
merchandise has been a boon
denim chukka
for business. “We’re doing
very well with collections like
Florsheim, and we’re excited
about Nina’s new line,” said Ivan
Castro, kids’ buyer and manager at New York-based Harrys Shoes. “It’s great to
see vendors finally
looking at the
boys’ market.
Until now,
ctic
s
ack
d
ket.
he
ke
k
we
for
ur
d
on
ket
for
ons
ot
10 |
there was nothing fresh or exciting in
boys’ casual footwear. Everything
was focused on the girls’ category.
Customers would come in and say,
‘This is all you have for boys?’ It
was just tired.”
Castro noted that many children’s vendors conceded the
boys’ business over to athletic
players such as Nike and Adidas, but the recent fashion
push in the category is
an opportunity for those
brands to get back in the
game. “Sneakers obviously
dominate the boys’ market,
and we certainly sell a lot
of them, but we need to
have other options. As
some of these kids’
brands are discovering, there is a real
opportunity for them
to bring in more fashion
and fill that void in the casual
area,” he said.
Connie Cohen, footwear buyer for Lester’s, a
clothing and shoe retailer with four locations in
New York, said her boys’ business has picked up
significantly in recent seasons. “Before, there
was hardly ever anything new for boys. Now
there are a lot of cool casual options, so we’ve
definitely increased our buy [on the boys’ side],”
she said. “We’re doing well with men’sinspired styles like bucks, laceups and
slip-ons with bright color pops on the
outsole or the laces. It’s great to finally
see some fun and fashion for boys.”
By tapping into the styling in its men’s
division, Florsheim has found fast
success in the boys’ market, according
to Mark Kohlenberg, who oversees
the children’s business for parent
firm Weyco Group Inc. “We’re seeing
pretty staggering growth. Many of
our retail accounts are doubling their
open-to-buys,” he said. “In all my
years in the kids’ business, I’ve never
seen increases like this. There has
just been a tremendous neglect of the
boys’ market.”
Kohlenberg pointed out, “This is all
gravy business for retailers — business
that, for the most part, didn’t exist before or
that was at a very small level.”
He added that the growing emphasis on
style in the men’s footwear market has helped
pave the way for a transformation of the boys’
category. “It’s now fashionable for men to wear
fashionable footwear, and that
A spring ’15 look by influence has trickled down
Florsheim Kids
to young boys. It’s cool for
boys to dress up and express
PHOTOS: HARRYS: THOMAS IANNACCONE; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY OF BRANDS
Back-to-school shoppers
at Harrys Shoes in New York
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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MARKETPLACE
Category Revival × CHILDREN’S
themselves through fashion,” he explained. “That
barrier of resistance has disappeared, opening up
a huge opportunity in the market.”
The success of Florsheim Kids has prompted
Weyco to take a bigger stake in the boys’ business
across its brands. The firm expanded its Stacy
Adams kids’ offering and has added a small boys’
line under the Nunn Bush name for spring ’15.
Its Umi children’s label also has stepped up its
casual offerings for boys.
Nina, meanwhile, is hoping to see similar
success with the new Elements collection.
According to Alan Paulenoff, EVP of the kids’
division, the New York-based brand saw an
opportunity to capitalize on its nearly 25-year
history in the girls’ market with a companion
boys’ line. “The timing felt right,” Paulenoff
said. “We saw what has been happening in
men’s footwear and we heard from our retailers
that they were looking for more options. They
complained of having to buy the same basic
styles over and over because there has been so
much sameness in boys’ footwear.”
For its inaugural season, Paulenoff said the
company secured strong sell-ins with bet-
ter department stores,
independents and etailers. “We’ll have some
great exposure at retail
this fall, but we’ve just
scratched the surface. There
are many retailers who [haven’t
been in] the boys’ market
Textured slip-on
because it’s been so stagnant
from Elements
for so long. We believe there
by Nina
is a lot of opportunity to grow
as more stores address the
category,” he said.
When it comes to product, Paulenoff noted
that the sneaker influence remains important,
even if boys are wearing other styles now. “Boys
live in sneakers, so when they’re wearing other
shoes, they still want them to feel like sneakers. That’s been our approach with Elements:
[We’re offering] versatile, sneaker-inspired
styles,” he said, citing the collection’s vulcanized bottoms, bold color accents and interesting mix of upper materials.
Evan Cagner, president of Synclaire Brands,
reported that the push to inject sneaker influ-
ences into casual footwear has resulted in shoes
that cover more wearing occasions. And that
is a big selling point for parents. “You’re
seeing styles like wingtips and oxfords
on sneaker-type constructions, and
those styles resonate with the boy
because they look and feel like a
sneaker,” he said. “The parent gets
it and likes it because the shoes can be
dressed up — it’s not just a single-occasion item.”
According to Cagner, whose company offers
small boys’ collections under some of its newer
licensed brands, including Tommy Hilfiger and
Elie Tahari, children can take these newly casual
shoes from playtime to a party. “That’s helping
to drive the surge in the business right now. Customers appreciate that versatility,” he said.
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12 |
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16 |
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| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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09042014164201
from one icon to the other,
congratulations on 40 years
of leadership. thank you for your
continued partnership!
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT
FN MILESTONE
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER AND BRANDS
FOOT LOCKER @ 40
Locker’s Keys
Forty years ago this week, Foot Locker opened its first store in Puente Hills Mall in the
City of Industry, Calif. From the start, the fledgling retailer found success with a simple
formula: to stay laser-focused on the athletic market. Four decades later, the 1,858-door
global powerhouse has not lost sight of that original vision. Read on for an inside look at
the chain’s incredible rise and future ambitions.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 |
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| 19
9/2/14 4:03 PM
$QQSPWFEXJUIXBSOJOHT
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Q&A
Hicks with a Foot Locker associate
Ken Hicks reflects
on 40 years of
ruling the sneaker
scene and talks
about why he is so
bullish on the future
of the retailer.
BY JENNIFER ERNST BEAUDRY
20 |
oot Locker may be turning 40, but Ken Hicks
is looking way beyond
that number.
“Foot Locker is a
company that has done
well over the past several years,
and because of the great team we
have, we’re even better positioned
for the future with a number of
significant opportunities [for our]
brand both in the U.S. and internationally,” the New York-based
firm’s chairman and CEO told
Footwear News.
Hicks has good reason to be
feeling bullish, thanks in part to
the red-hot sneaker trend fueling
the footwear market.
“Shoes are more than 75 percent
of our business. When you think
of the Foot Locker brand, our
mantra is, ‘It’s Sneaker Central,’”
Hicks said. “[Whether in] Europe,
Canada, Australia or the U.S.,
when people think, ‘I need a pair
of sneakers,’ they think of Foot
Locker first.”
The numbers tell the story of
the retailer’s recent
success: For the period
ended Aug. 2, 2014, the
retailer reported net income
of $92 million, a marked boost
over the $66 million in the same
quarter a year earlier. Sales rose
13 percent to $1.64 billion for the
second quarter of 2014.
“Foot Locker is doing a lot of
positive stuff,” said Matt Powell, an
analyst at SportsOneSource. “The
only place you could say they have
not got it figured out is women’s.
They are on the path there, but
they have not yet nailed it.”
Notably, women’s was a bright
spot for Foot Locker during the
second quarter, said Christopher
Svezia, an analyst at Susquehanna
Financial Group.
The European business, which has been
weak for some companies, is also
showing considerable growth for
Foot Locker. Running and basketball both proved to be highlights
for the firm — and the retailer
continues to stand out from the
pack with exclusive styles from
top vendors.
Q&A
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
POWER
FORWARD
F
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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$QQSPWFEXJUIXBSOJOHT
MILESTONE
Q&A × FOOT LOCKER @ 40
But that’s nothing new — the retailer has
always been an athletic trailblazer. When the
company opened its first location in September 1974 in the City of Industry, Calif., the
2,800-sq.-ft. store broke new ground as one of
the first to offer solely athletic footwear.
The business grew rapidly, and today, the
company operates 1,858 Foot Locker stores
globally and more than 3,400 doors across all
of the company’s banners.
Here, Hicks talks about must-have product,
the big opportunity in women’s and his predictions for the next 40 years.
Basketball has been especially strong lately.
Do you see the category taking more share
going forward?
KH: We have strong basketball and running
[programs], and there are new looks and technologies that help both. Some of the basketball
shoes now, they’ve gone more low-cut — in
some cases, unless you look at the sole, you
wouldn’t know whether it was a basketball
or running shoe. And that’s made basketball
a more universal business. Plus, [you’ve got]
great players such as LeBron [James], Kevin
Durant, Kobe [Bryant] and [Derrick] Rose,
[who is] coming back. That helps basketball. In
running, you have great casual looks like Roshe
from Nike, ZX from Adidas and Free from
Nike. There’s also new technology in running:
Boost from Adidas, the new shoes from Asics,
and SpeedForm from Under Armour. There are
more things happening in performance running that will help grow that business.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
What progress have you made in developing
the women’s business?
KH: We see some green shoots, [and] we feel
good about women’s both in terms of Lady Foot
Locker and [its two-year-old] Six:02 [concept].
The customer wants a place where she can
shop and buy performance brands in a nice
environment, and what we’re providing is both
shoes and apparel.
What are you doing to better position Lady
Foot Locker?
KH: We have started to step up the remodeled
Lady Foot Lockers — or, I should say, reformatted and re-merchandised Lady Foot Lockers
— to allow for showing more apparel and for
better showing the [merchandising] ideas. We
plan to roll out a number of those through the
rest of this year. The challenge we have is that
we can’t do it in some doors because of size.
Some Lady Foot Locker doors are too small and
don’t allow us to show the products.
So size is critical?
KH: What we’ve learned is that to be a viable
women’s banner, you need to offer a good
selection of both footwear and apparel. Those
[locations] that don’t allow the showing of
apparel probably are not viable long-term. Not
that they can’t sell a lot of shoes, but they won’t
be as effective without the apparel. So we’ll
close the smaller and less-productive stores.
You’ve taken some heat for the slow rollout of
Six:02. What is your stance on that?
KH: We’re less than two years old on Six:02, and
[that] seems like a long time. But Lululemon
didn’t [expand outside] northwestern Canada
for four or five years. We want to get it right
and understand what the customer wants. I
don’t think it’s slow; I think it’s thoughtful, and
when we do roll it out, we will have something
the customer really wants.
Where do your various store redesign projects
stand?
KH: We’ve completed Kids Foot Locker, and by
end of year we’ll be about 20 percent through
with Foot Locker and approaching 30 percent
with Champs. We’re also testing our Footaction
remodel prototype.
The kids’ business has been a bright spot. How
are you capitalizing on the momentum there?
KH: Children’s was our fastest-growing segment [earlier this year], not just in Kids Foot
Locker but also in Foot Locker and in our
Champs and Footaction stores. We’ve
expanded Kids Foot Locker internationally, and it’s now in Europe and
Canada — we’ve been developing that
over the past year or so.
Are there plans to increase the footprint of
these branded shops going into 2015?
KH: We have taken a number of stores down
[in size] each year since I’ve been here, but last
year and next year, our actual square footage
will go up. We’re making the stores bigger to
handle these formats. They’re very productive:
They drive traffic and help the stores be places
customers want to go.
There has been much talk about the decline of
the mall. Does that worry you?
KH: There’s a misconception out there, and I’ve
been saying this for some time: Survey after
survey shows that millennials like stores. They
go to meet friends and see product. But they
also like to shop online, and they like to be connected, so we need to make sure we connect.
Putting our channels together is important.
The winners of the future are those [retailers]
that have stores and online, and that connect
them well.
Is that true across the board?
KH: Some of the lesser malls are more challenged. But we have the ability to trade more
broadly than many of our competitors. We can
trade in an inner city or in a more urban location as well as suburban. We can trade with a
customer who may not have all the advantages,
with young kids and with men my age because
of the breadth of service and assortment we offer. [The new formats also] help us stand out in
the more premier malls, and those continue to
do well. People still like to get out into an
(continued on page 45)
The children’s business is strong
You’ve rolled out a number of branded
partnerships with key vendors — the
most recent being Puma Lab last
year — and recently opened a brickand-mortar element for Eastbay.com.
What’s driving those concepts?
KH: We think of [those types of partnerships as a way of] getting to the customer
and connecting channels, to make the
stores we have more exciting and interesting places to shop. We feel very good
about House of Hoops, Nike Fly Zone, the
Adidas Collective shops and Puma Lab.
They will continue to be an important
part of the draw of our stores.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 |
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09032014165409
Approved with warnings
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Global Rise
The retailer’s store
on Oxford Street
in London
Blake Krueger
OVERSEAS
AGENDA
Europe leads the way as
Foot Locker rolls out doors
internationally.
BY ERIN E. CLACK
Richard Johnson
22 |
continent.
The New York-based athletic
chain today operates 604 European stores, accounting for a
significant portion of its roughly
$2 billion in international sales. But
Richard Johnson, Foot Locker’s
COO and EVP, said the company
has only scratched the surface.
“We constantly look for and
evaluate new territories to move
into, but right now, given the
opportunities we see, Europe
continues to be where our energy
is focused from a growth perspective,” he said. “We believe there
is still significant door expansion
potential in every one of the 19
European countries in which we
currently operate.”
In particular, Johnson cited
underpenetrated markets such
as France, Poland, Turkey and
Scandinavia as ripe for expansion.
“For example, when we look at
Turkey, where we have three stores
in Istanbul, we see potential for
our door count to be significantly
higher,” he noted. “There is a lot of
room for growth.”
Foot Locker also has 220 stores
in Canada, Australia and New
Zealand, as well as 73 franchised
locations in South Korea and the
Middle East. But Europe remains
the big bull’s-eye.
Last year, the retailer took an
even bigger stake in the region
with its $94 million acquisition
of Runners Point Group, a wellestablished German retailer with
a network of nearly 200 stores
under the Runners Point, Sidestep
and Run2 nameplates.
In addition to significantly
raising Foot Locker’s door count,
the acquisition gives the company
an opportunity to better segment
its customer base across multiple
store banners in Germany, its
largest market outside the U.S.
Boosted by the addition of the
RPG stores, the retailer continues
to see strong sales momentum
throughout Europe.
In fact, in the the second quarter of 2014, Foot Locker Europe
posted a comp-store sales gain in
all 19 countries in which it operates. Footwear comps were up in
the double digits.
“We feel good about our European business,” Johnson said.
“We do face fairly significant
in-country competition, but our
American DNA and great product selection, combined with the
deep-rooted sneaker culture that
exists in Europe, are helping to
fuel our growth there.”
The children’s business, in particular, is seeing robust sales gains
globally. The retailer has been
testing Kids Foot Locker stores
in parts of Western Europe and
Canada for the last two years.
“When we look at crossing the
globe with our other banners,
Kids Foot Locker is the one that’s
leading the way,” Johnson noted.
“It’s a great opportunity to introduce kids to the whole sneaker
lifestyle and then hopefully have
them graduate to Foot Locker as
they get older.”
PHOTOS: JOHNSON: MORITZ & CO.; STORE: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
S
ince planting its first
store in Europe in
1989, Foot Locker has
aggressively grown its
footprint across the
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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S
CONGRATULATIONS TO FOOT LOCKER
for revolutionizing the entire culture of footwear for 40 straight
years. Thank you for your incredible partnership and commitment
to athletes everywhere. We’re looking forward to reshaping the
industry with you over the next 40 years!
-Your Partners At Under Armour
MILESTONE
He said Kids Foot Locker, which has 17
locations overseas, is targeting areas where
the business is over-penetrated within its core
stores, indicating the capability to support a
stand-alone children’s shop.
The women’s category is another important
piece of Foot Locker’s international business.
On a square-footage basis, women’s merchandise is allotted more selling space in the
chain’s European stores than in its U.S. doors.
But the customer profile is different, Johnson
pointed out.
“When you look at Europe, it’s more of a
fashion or lifestyle buy as opposed to a performance/workout buy,” he explained. “That’s
where our female-specific Six:02 concept
[launched in 2012] could come into play. But
we need to get the formula right in the U.S.
first before we can think of expanding it
internationally.”
Alongside its brick-and-mortar business,
Foot Locker continues to develop its online
platform overseas. The company’s European
website, which serves nine countries in seven
languages, enables the chain to cover key
pockets of the region not currently served by
its stores.
“Our digital business is growing quite rapidly,” Johnson said. “Our strategy there is no
different than it is here in the U.S. We take a
[holistic] approach: Our goal is to make our total sales grow, so whatever channel those sales
come through, we’re happy with it.”
Regarding Foot Locker’s plans to further accelerate its expansion in Europe, Johnson said
the company’s major advantage is its 25 years
of experience on the continent, which has
allowed it to cultivate a unique local understanding of each of the markets there.
“We’ve been at this a long time, so we know
how to read a market,” he said. “That’s one of
the benefits of having our [European] divisional headquarters in Holland: We have access to
all the usual market and demographic data, but
you need those feet on the street to observe
consumers and what they’re wearing and to get
a good sense of the competition.”
Though the brand mix is generally the
same worldwide, Foot Locker’s assortment is
tailored to individual markets. “The product is
certainly very nuanced country by country and
even by local market,” he said. “Look at Italy:
The north of the country is very different from
the south. Our merchant team does a great job
identifying the right product for each of our
markets.”
Across the board, however, running consistently outpaces all other product categories
outside of North America.
In the first quarter, international sales of
running merchandise were up in the double
digits, led by Nike’s Air Max sneaker franchise
and Adidas’ ZX Flux program. “Running is
the [sneaker] silhouette of choice outside the
U.S. There is a much bigger emphasis on the
category in Western Europe and certainly Australia as well,” Johnson said.
Still, as an influential global retailer, Foot
Locker strives to get customers to embrace
other key trends and lines, such as basketball.
“It’s our job to lead the marketplace. We want
to show the European consumer the lifestyle
aspect of basketball — that there are great
silhouettes and product in that category,”
Johnson said.
Camilo Lyon, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, said that strategy is already paying off.
“Basketball had mainly been a U.S. category,
but now it’s picking up speed in Europe,” he
said. “Foot Locker is executing well from a
product assortment standpoint, with Nike
a big part of that. Also, fashion trends are
It’s our job to lead the marketplace. We want
to show the European consumer the lifestyle
aspect of basketball. ” — Richard Johnson
24 |
shifting toward basketball. It’s all playing to
Foot Locker’s benefit as it expands in Europe.
[The retailer] is synonymous with basketball
at home, so building that category overseas is
important as it enters newer markets.”
Though the average store footprint is smaller
overseas — 1,500 square feet, compared with
2,400 square feet domestically — Foot Locker
has been able to roll out some of its more
successful shop-in-shop concepts abroad,
among them House of Hoops, a joint venture
with Nike.
“We see good success with House of Hoops
everywhere,” Johnson said. “We opened one in
Perth, Australia, [late last year], and that was
the last geography that had to be covered [with
the concept]. It’s premium retailing with a
great partner in Nike, and it stands for something around the globe.”
While Foot Locker has had to navigate its
international expansion amid a challenging
economic environment, Johnson said it hasn’t
slowed consumers’ demand for its brand.
“The economy has certainly impacted our
business, but our consumers seem to find a way
to feed their love for sneakers,” he said.
Echoing the company’s marketing tagline,
Johnson added, “One of the things driving our
success on a global basis is that consumers believe that if it’s at Foot Locker, it’s approved — it’s
cool enough for them to wear. They know they’re
getting the right shoe when they come to us.”
PHOTO: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Global Rise
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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09022014175947
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Stepping Stones
TIME TRAVELER
How did Foot Locker evolve from single store to global powerhouse? Read on to find out.
1974
• Foot Locker opens its first store in Puente
Hills Mall in the City of Industry, Calif.
Foot Locker Europe opens a 22,204-sq.-ft. location
on London’s Oxford Street
1977 • First Foot Locker commercial airs, touting
nine stores in the Los Angeles area
2001 • The Foot Locker Foundation Inc. debuts
along with the first annual “On Our Feet” fundraising benefit held in response to the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks
2004
• Foot Locker Inc. buys Footaction’s 350 stores
2007 • The first stand-alone House of Hoops in
Harlem in New York opens in collaboration with Nike
2010 • The company opens its first Run by Foot
Locker location in New York’s Union Square
1982
• Lady Foot Locker debuts in Joliet, Ill.
• Named Footwear News’ Retailer of the Year,
before winning the title again in 2012
1986
2011 • Sneakerpedia.com, a community-driven
sports and fashion resource, debuts
2013
• Germany-based athletic specialty retailer
Runners Point Group is acquired by Foot Locker Inc.
2012 • Foot Locker Inc. celebrates 100 years on the
New York Stock Exchange
2014 • Puma Lab powered by Foot Locker bows in
select stores
1987 • Kids Foot Locker opens its first store; parent
company (at the time) F. W. Woolworth Co. acquires
Champs Sports
1988 • First international Foot Locker opens in
Australia; chain hits the 1,000-store mark
1993 • Global store count includes 1,400 in the
U.S., 175 in Europe, nine in Mexico, 50 in Australia
and 100 in Canada
• Direct mail and e-commerce e-tailer
Eastbay.com is acquired
1996
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
1997 • The chain launches an e-commerce platform with the debut of Footlocker.com
• New York flagship opens on iconic shopping
thoroughfare 34th Street; House of Hoops debuts in
Foot Locker stores
1999
• Foot Locker becomes the first athletic specialty retailer to sponsor the New York City Marathon;
2000
26 |
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MILESTONE
Jake Jacobs with a
Foot Locker striper
COOL
CONCEPTS
With its eye on the core consumer, Foot Locker has
branched out with targeted shops. BY JENNIE BELL
A
lot has changed at Foot Locker over
its 40 years, from one store in a
California mall to a family of retail
banners with locations across the
globe. But Stephen “Jake” Jacobs,
president and CEO of Foot Locker U.S., said the
firm’s basic premise is little altered.
“I don’t think the gut of it has changed that
much. We’re still selling sneakers to kids,”
he said.
But Jacobs noted that over the years, competition in the athletic space has grown drastically.
“Nowadays, you can go anywhere to buy sneakers,” he said. “And you could probably go somewhere and find a basketball shoe for less than
you can find it at Foot Locker or in any of our
28 |
[competitors] in the mall.”
As a result, Foot Locker has risen to meet the
challenge, and Jacobs said the company’s mission now goes well beyond product. “What we’re
selling is intrigue, we’re selling fun, we’re selling
excitement,” he said. “That’s always been the
case with Foot Locker from the day it started to
today; it’s just that we’ve done different things
with the brand.”
And indeed, the firm has done a number of
different things, from launching offshoot chains
Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker in 1982
and 1987, respectively, to buying Footaction in
2004. All are now overseen by Jacobs as part of
a joint division. (Parent company Foot Locker
Inc. also acquired Champs Sports in 1987 but
operates that chain as a separate unit.)
Jacobs himself has been a witness to much of
the company’s evolution. He joined the organization in 1998 as a buyer for Champs and rose
through the ranks, eventually overseeing that
group’s footwear business and then running
the shoe business for the Foot Locker banners.
He next served as CEO of Champs for two and
a half years before taking on his current role
in 2011.
The executive pointed out that some of the
most rapid change at the company has come
within the last 10 years. “We’ve spent a lot more
time, energy and resources understanding who
our customer is and then creating an experience
for that kid,” he said, adding that for each of the
banners he oversees, the strategy remains the
same. “That’s the simple formula: Know who
your consumer is — your ultimate pinnacle consumer — and understand what your brand means
to them, and then build an incredible experience
for them.”
To craft a compelling shopping experience,
Foot Locker has been busy in both the online
and brick-and-mortar spaces. According to Jacobs, connectivity is key, in whatever realm the
consumer wants. “I hate to even have that conversation about whether it’s a digital experience
or an online experience. It’s just an experience,”
he said.
Foot Locker was an early adopter in the omnichannel push, building up its distribution capabilities to link stores and the Web. The company
now offers what it calls a “Super Stock Locator”
that gives customers various options such as to
buy online and ship to store, or buy on a mobile
device and pick up in store.
“We have designed our systems to make our
entire inventory available for purchase from
anywhere within our network,” said Dowe Tillema, president and CEO of Footlocker.com and
Eastbay.com.
Tillema noted that other important digital
features included enhanced search functionality
on the websites and a responsive design that can
reconfigure to different types of mobile devices.
In its brick-and-mortar doors, Foot Locker has
worked to generate excitement with new retail
projects created with its major vendors. The first,
House of Hoops, debuted in 2007 in partnership
with Nike and is now in 157 doors worldwide. It
has become a model for successful brand/retail
collaborations and inspired Foot Locker to open
the similarly themed Nike Fly Zone shops under
its Kids banner. “It’s an [extension] of that [same
idea] for kids with one of our biggest brands,”
PHOTO: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Retail Overview
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09032014182949
100 million
replacement insoles sold—and still counting.
We couldn’t have
done it without you
Happy 40th Foot Locker
®REGISTERED AND ™TRADEMARK OF SPENCO MEDICAL CORPORATION. ©2014 SMC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Retail Overview
in our brick-and-mortar and digital experiences. You’re seeing more investment from this
company in the last couple of years than you’ve
seen in the previous 10.”
One key initiative has been the rollout of Foot
Locker’s new remodel — dubbed the “Willowbrook format” for its first location in the Wayne,
N.J., mall — which emphasizes rich storytelling. “That’s what we do: We sell the stories that
brands are creating,” Jacobs said.
He predicted the investment in stores will
continue apace: “I don’t see any slowdown in it
in the near future. We’ve got a lot of runway in
front of us.”
Foot Locker’s continuously positive financial
results seem to support that strategy, but the firm
credits some of that success to strong product
launches from top athletic brands, particularly in
the basketball space, where Foot Locker controls
a large share of the market. “Our vendor partners have done an incredible job of cultivating
stories around marquee athletes or performance
technologies,” Jacobs said. “You’ll see some very
intriguing stuff coming out soon from the guys on
the basketball side, whether it’s Jordan, Nike or
Adidas — those are the big three, though Under
Armour is starting to step up its game on the
basketball side.”
In the running category, a larger mix of brands
are at play, from Asics and New Balance to
Brooks and Adidas. “There’s a lot of innovation
coming down the pipe from a running perspective,” Jacobs said, citing Adidas’ Boost cushion-
Winning the Female Consumer
Both the athletic and fashion industries have lately
turned their attention to women’s fitness. On the
luxury end, an increasing number of designer labels
are dabbling in sneakers and activewear, while
tough-guy performance brands like Under Armour
are working to soften their image with revamped
product and marketing.
Foot Locker has also been honing its focus on the
female consumer.
“The women’s athletic business is a huge opportunity for us,” said Jake Jacobs, president and CEO
of Foot Locker U.S. “We’re in the initial stages of
understanding and attacking that consumer set.
It’s still a work in progress, but we’re seeing some
very encouraging signs in what we’re doing.”
For the past couple of years, the retailer has been
overhauling its Lady Foot Locker nameplate to positive results, according to the firm. And it is slowly
30 |
growing its Six:02 concept, which debuted with
three locations in November 2012 and now totals
nine doors in Texas, Florida and the New York area.
Natalie Ellis, VP and GM of Lady Foot Locker
and Six:02, noted that Six:02 caters directly to
the female fitness enthusiast. “A key part of this
is creating an environment where women can feel
comfortable and that’s easy to navigate,” she said.
“It’s where she’s going to find that great outfit
You’re seeing more
investment from
this company in the
last couple of years
than you’ve seen in
the previous 10.”
— Jake Jacobs
ing technology as a leading example.
He added, “This is probably one of the most
exciting times in the 16 years I’ve been in the
specialty business, from the sheer amount of
cool, innovative product [coming out for fall
and spring] across a very wide swath of our
vendor base.”
Looking ahead, Jacobs said his team’s goal
remains unchanged: to cater to that core shopper. “We have to — and we want to — make sure
we’re incredibly connected to our pinnacle consumer,” he said. “As long as we do that, as long
as we keep touching more people and bringing
more people into our brand, the end results will
be good.”
to run her 5K, or a place where she can go to get
some inspiration and motivation.”
The stores and Six:02 e-commerce site stock
footwear, apparel and accessories from a range
of brands, including major players Nike, Adidas,
Asics and New Balance, as well as Actra and
Moving Comfort.
The chain’s marketing is part inspirational and
part community-oriented. “A lot of what we are
doing is building a network of women through
social media with [our hashtag] #Six02Moment,”
Ellis said. “It’s a tremendous feeling when you
know you can get people to take time for themselves and think about how they can nurture
themselves.”
She added that the time is right for this type of
retail environment. “Women are demanding and
deserve to have their own space in the athletic
market,” she said. “Because we represent multiple
brands, we can help navigate the selections and
give her all the options that are right for her.” — J.B.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
Jacobs said of the concept that launched in
November 2013. “We’ve got five open, and we’ll
start expanding those pretty rapidly.”
And last February, the retailer teamed with
another brand to debut Puma Lab. The shopin-shop, which opened in two Atlanta malls, is
expected to roll out in some form to roughly 125
Foot Locker locations. It presents the full range
of Puma product in a periodic table-like framework that highlights design, luxury, creativity
and multiple sport categories.
At the time of the opening, Puma North
America President Jay Piccola told Footwear
News that the merchandise mix could include
anything from “the Puma Suede to the Alexander
McQueen collections,” as well as a number of
exclusive items.
Additional retail concepts have launched in
connection with the Footaction chain, including
the much-buzzed-about Flight 23 (a partnership with the Jordan brand) and the Adidas
Originals Collective.
Beyond engineering new concepts, Jacobs’ team
has been working to hone its real estate roster.
In the first half of fiscal 2014, his division
opened 24 new doors, closed 40 and relocated or remodeled 121, all across the banners
he oversees, which also includes the newly
launched Six:02 women’s format (see sidebar
for more). “We’ve figured out some things
that are working for us, so we’re going [ahead
with it],” Jacobs said. “That’s why you see so
much investment in the end experience, both
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James Harden singing R&B. Approved.
Mike Tyson returning Holyfield’s ear. Approved.
Teasing Hall of Famers who never won a ring. Approved.
Getting demoted to Kris Humphries’ entourage. Approved.
Dennis Rodman leaving and never coming back. Approved.
Scottie Pippen saying he’s the greatest Bull of all time. Approved.
Anything less than great. Not approved.
Thanks for being an amazing partner, and congratulations on 40 years of success.
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Store Design
EVOLUTIONARY
STUDIES
A look at the changing face of Foot
Locker over the past four decades.
BY ERIN E. CLACK
1974
The retailer debuts at
Puente Hills Mall in the
City of Industry, Calif.
1999
A 20,000-sq.-ft. store
opens on 34th Street in
New York
1988
Earlier concepts like
this San Antonio
location used cedar
wood in store design
This Trumbull, Conn.,
spot continues
to highlight the
importance of
mall units
A 10,000-sq.-ft.
space debuts in
Times Square
32 |
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
2002
2002
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MILESTONE
34 |
2003
The chain targets
downtown New York
shoppers with its
first Soho unit
2010
Inside Garden State
Plaza in Paramus,
N.J., another key
mall location
2011
House of Hoops
on 34th Street
bows with a twostory concept
2013
This Bridgewater,
Conn., space
showcases
a new design
2014
Foot Locker’s Beverly
Center store in Los
Angeles showcases
this year’s “Made by
Kobe” ads
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
EVOLUTIONARY STUDIES
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Store Design
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Epicor Retail
To a company that keeps striding forward…
Congratulations Foot Locker
on your first 40 years of
omni-channel success!
We’re proud to play a part.
800.992.9160 | retailinfo@epicor.com
Epicor.com/retail
Store/Mobile Store | Enterprise Order Management | CRM/Clienteling | Audit | LP | Merchandising | Planning/Assortment Planning | Business Intelligence | Sourcing/PLM
Copyright © 2014 Epicor Software Corporation. Epicor, Business Inspired, and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU.
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Marketing Muscle
The spring ’14
“No Rings”
commercial
CAMPAIGN TRAIL
H
BY DANA KARLSON
36 |
ow does Foot Locker
make its messaging
stand out?
“Differentiation
is important,” Stacy
Cunningham, EVP
of marketing at Foot Locker,
explained. “But [being] different for the right reason is more
important.”
Cunningham said the brand dug
into its archives to figure out how
to talk to its target consumer —
affectionally referred to as “our
kid” — into the next decade of
athletic wear.
Here is a look at some of Foot
Locker’s most memorable campaigns — from its first productfocused commercial in 1977 to the
star-powered promotions of today.
1977: FIRST COMMERCIAL
In the first few spots, the retailer
focused on broad conversations
about brands and products.
1983: WILT CHAMBERLAIN
This was an early example of Foot
Locker’s strategy of using professional athletes in its ads to portray the expertise of Foot Locker
salesmen.
MID-1980s: “COME TO THE STRIPES”
The store’s positioning in this
long-running theme in the ’80s
was one of authority, no matter
the type of athlete being portrayed
or what sport they played. The
Foot Locker
at the 2013
NYC marathon
PHOTOS: AD: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER; RUNNER: GETTY IMAGES
Star athletes. Hot
product. Buzzy
slogans. Foot
Locker has always
courted its sneakerobsessed shoppers
with innovative
marketing plays.
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09032014164723
Approved with warnings
CONGRATULATIONS FOOT LOCKER!
Here’s to
40 YEARS
of keeping feet moving everywhere.
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Marketing Muscle
The 2014 b-t-s
campaign
ubiquitous “Get it right for your body” jingle
was broadcast nationally.
1987: SUPER BOWL AD
As the first athletic retailer to advertise during the
big game, Foot Locker made a serious statement.
1993: WILT CHAMBERLAIN, JOHN HAVLICEK,
MEADOWLARK LEMON TV SPOT
The retired hoops stars relate to a young teen their
tales of hardship from growing up “back in the day.”
2000-PRESENT: NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
Foot Locker has been a principal sponsor and
official athletic retailer of the New York City
Marathon for more than a decade.
2010: “PUPPETS”
This was an installment in Nike’s highly successful “Puppets” campaign starring Kobe
Bryant. Of course, the Kobe puppet enlisted the
iconic “stripers” to talk (or rather, rap) about
one of his upcoming shoe releases.
2013: VICTOR CRUZ
The #Kickstagram #CruzdayTuesday program
started in January 2013 with NFL star Victor
Cruz. The retailer receives hundreds of uploads
each week from fans who are sharing their passion for sneakers. Every Tuesday, Cruz chooses
one follower to get a personal shoutout on Ins-
Victor Cruz fronted
a social media
campaign
tagram and Twitter, plus a Foot Locker gift card.
The winning photos have generated more than
13 million views on the brand’s Facebook page.
2013: “WEEK OF GREATNESS”
To kick off holiday season last November, Foot
Locker ran “All Is Right” as part of its Approved
campaign to launch the most anticipated
sneaker and gear releases. The commercial
opens with NBA star Kyrie Irving expressing his excitement and commenting that “all
is right” in the world, and then shows several
iconic athletes and sports personalities revisiting their most notorious moments and making
things right. In the scene pictured below, Mike
Tyson makes up with Evander Holyfield. The
spot was a viral hit and currently has more than
Mike Tyson
in “Week of
Greatness”
7.2 million YouTube views.
2014: “NO RINGS”
This past spring, the retailer partnered with
Adidas and Damian Lillard, who was the
2012-2013 NBA Rookie of the Year. This was
Lillard’s first foray into the playoffs, and when
he declares in the ad that he doesn’t want to be
“one of those guys that never won a ring,” hilarity ensues. This video was part of the Approved
campaign and continued to depict professional
athletes in a self-deprecating fashion.
2014: BACK-TO-SCHOOL — “SHORT MEMORY”
In the most recent back-to-school campaign,
NBA star James Harden is featured in a twopart series supporting the notion that “All the
greats have short memories.”
In the first spot, Harden gets advice from
NBA Legends Charles Barkley — who amusingly claims no recollection of his past — and
Scottie Pippen — who supports the short-memory notion by touting that he is the greatest
Chicago Bull of all time. (Obviously, that honor
belongs to Michael Jordan.)
Continuing the theme in the second installment, retiring soccer legend Landon Donovan
seems to have forgotten that he was cut from
the U.S. Men’s National Team.
38 |
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
2008: HOUSE OF HOOPS
The brand filmed several NBA athletes playing a
game of pick-up basketball on the Santa Monica
Pier in its partnership with Nike to portray House
of Hoops as the marquee destination for the sport.
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09032014164606
CONGRATS
FOOT
LOCKER!
HERE’S TO THE NEXT 40 YEARS OF GREATNESS.
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS @
MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Top Styles
SLAM
15
HOT
KICKS
DUNKS
Foot Locker has always been known as the destination for the latest and greatest
sneakers. Here are the retailer’s most popular styles from the past 40 years.
ADIDAS SUPERSTAR
Part of the assortment from the first Foot
Locker stores, the low leather basketball
shoe was introduced in 1969.
It is still carried today.
40 |
CONVERSE CHUCKS
The original performance basketball shoe was
launched in 1917, available in black and white.
The style has since moved from performance to
fashion, focusing on endless color offerings.
PUMA SUEDE
Released in 1968, the Puma Suede peaked
during the 1970s and 1980s. It was worn by
New York Knicks star Walt “Clyde” Frazier and
became a staple with 1980s B-Boys.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BRANDS
BY CHRISTIAN ALLAIRE
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MILESTONE
Top Styles × FOOT LOCKER @ 40
NIKE CORTEZ
One of the first-ever Nike styles to be
sold, the Cortez has been in Foot Locker
stores for four decades.
K-SWISS CLASSIC LX
This functional tennis shoe debuted in Foot
Locker stores in the early 1980s, and has now
also moved into a more casual fashion category.
NEW BALANCE 574
The 574 is one of the most classic
New Balance designs to date and includes
an unconventional suede and mesh upper.
TIMBERLAND 6” BOOTS
The Timberland 6” was introduced into
Foot Locker in 1993. Two years later, a
new Timberland kids’ boot was released.
REEBOK PUMP
The Reebok Pump was one of the defining
sneakers of the late 1980s. A pump function on
the tongue sends air into the internal cushion.
NIKE TUNED 1, AKA NIKE AIR MAX PLUS
Launched exclusively at Foot Locker in
October 1998, millions of pairs of this style
were sold in the U.S. alone. It continues to
be sold throughout Europe.
ASICS KAYANO
Considered to be the pinnacle of Asics
running shoes, the Kayano was first
released in 1993 and is still one of the
top running shoes of choice.
NIKE AIR JORDAN RETRO 11
The most iconic of the Air Jordan models,
the Retro 11 popularized the use of
patent leather on athletic sneakers.
REEBOK CLASSICS
After entering the marketplace in the early 1980s,
Reebok has delivered an array of classic designs
including the Ex-O-Fit, Phase-I and 4600.
NIKE ZOOM AIR GENERATION, AKA THE LEBRON 1
LeBron James’ first signature shoe, the
basketball style features Max Air cushioning in
the back and inner sock lining for comfort.
NIKE AIR FOAMPOSITE ONE
The Foamposite One changed the way
sneakers could be made, using
liquid foam to create a mold.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BRANDS
NIKE AIR FORCE 1
Introduced in 1983, the Air Force 1 was
the first performance basketball shoe
to feature air technology.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 |
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| 41
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MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Employee Feedback
TEAM SPIRIT
What makes the retailer a unique and rewarding place to work? Longtime
employees weigh in on their experiences. BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER-LEVY
JEANINE ZOCKS
VP of strategic alliance and
events; Foot Locker, Lady
Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker,
Footaction, Six:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 20
“I’ve enjoyed interacting with the
field teams, particularly during
high-profile events such as the NBA
All-Star Weekend. I’ve had the great
fortune to meet many athletes and
celebrities over the years. One of
my fondest memories was meeting [former NBA coach] Pat Riley
at [Foot Locker’s] 30th anniversary
celebration and later, sitting in the
crowd as he referenced our meeting
during his speech and commented
on how much I love working for the
company. I also met Michael Jordan
in the Chicago Bulls’ locker room.”
JACK HOIDA
Field investigator, western
region; Foot Locker Inc.
BOB BLUDGUS
Director of sales planning; Foot
Locker, Footaction, Kids Foot
Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Six:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 41
(JOINED KINNEY SHOE CORP. IN 1973)
“I’ve recognized the need to establish good relationships with strong
business partners. It’s been rewarding to witness associates I recruited
earlier in my career rise into management positions within the company. My tenure also has provided
me with the unique opportunity to
travel and take part in different athletic and industry-sponsored events,
as well as community programs our
company supports.”
of what our customers are thinking
and buying, and understand their
expectations of the in-store experience. Among my most memorable
personal moments was winning
regional VP of the year and sharing
that award and experience with my
team of district managers.”
LAURIE CLARK
VP of store operations; Foot
Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids
Foot Locker, Footaction, Six:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 34
“It makes me smile to see those
I’ve coached, trained or mentored
get promoted. My job allows me to
work with every department within
the company. Being able to touch so
many people in the company allows
me to continue to grow and learn
both personally and professionally.”
CHRIS SANTAELLA
CHRISTINA SARRAT
VP and GMM of footwear;
Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker,
Footaction
YEARS OF SERVICE: 30
“What distinguishes Foot Locker
first and foremost is our branding
— particularly our iconic striped
uniforms. We must always be aware
YEARS OF SERVICE: 23
“On my first day on the job in 1991,
I bought a pair of [Nike Air Force]
Barkley 180s, and I was ready for the
next 23 years. [Our] constant challenge is giving our sneaker-obsessed
consumers something new and hot.
Our passion, leadership and commitment set us apart.”
Regional VP, southern region;
Foot Locker, Footaction, Kids
Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker,
Six:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 33
“I’ve been lucky to work on projects that have helped the company
execute its core strategies as well
as [allowed me to] collaborate
with people in different areas both
internally and externally. I try
not to take anyone for granted or
discount their opinions.”
WILFREDO RODRIGUEZ
VP of finance; Foot Locker, Lady
Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker,
Footaction, Six:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 18
“The fun part of finance is working
on a daily basis with operations,
our store and field teams, and our
HR team. I also will never look at
sneakers the same way again. I find
myself looking at people’s feet at
the airport or on vacation. What
drove them to buy that style? More
importantly, where did they buy it?
Who would have thought a finance
guy could be so fashion-savvy?”
MIKE OWENS
EVP of operations; Foot Locker,
Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot
Locker, Footaction, SIX:02
YEARS OF SERVICE: 33
“Being part of the company’s growth
and expansion, there have been so
many powerful and wonderful moments because of all the people you
come across. I’ve
From left:
learned the imBob Bludgus,
Douglas Smith,
portance of always
executing your cur- Laurie Clark,
Jack Hoida,
rent strategies while
Wilfredo Rodriguez,
maintaining an eye
Chris Santaella,
on the opportunities Christina Sarrat,
Mike Owens,
of the future.”
Jeanine Zocks
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
YEARS OF SERVICE: 43
(JOINED KINNEY SHOE CORP. IN 1971)
“Over the years, Foot Locker has afforded me the opportunity to travel
the world, participate in world-class
sporting events and meet champion
athletes. I’ve run the 2004 New York
City Marathon, met iconic players
such as Ken Norton, Hank Aaron,
José Canseco and Chris Webber, and
watched the Rose Bowl from the 50-
yard line. I’ve also had the privilege
of participating in countless charitable events, working across the U.S.,
Canada and Guam, where I’ve met
thousands of dedicated and inspirational team members.”
DOUGLAS SMITH
Director of brand marketing;
Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker
42 |
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09022014174905
MILESTONE
Good Will × FOOT LOCKER @ 40
Inside the 2013
On Our Feet Gala
GIVING
SOLE
Community forms the backbone
of Foot Locker’s ethos. Here’s
how the brand pays it forward.
BY IRENE PARK
Originally started in response to the Sept. 11,
2001, World Trade Center attacks, the fête has
since supported organizations including the
United Way of New York City, which provides
aid to low-income citizens in New York, and
national children’s literacy nonprofit Reading
Is Fundamental. Last year, the gala supported
the United Negro College Fund; attendees
included Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross, CC
Sabathia of the New York Yankees, Geno Smith
of the New York Jets, and New York Giants players Aaron Ross, Prince Kelechi Amukamara and
Terrell Thomas.
For its 14th year in 2014, the gala will take
place on Oct. 21 at New York’s Gotham Hall, and
will benefit educational initiatives and other programs supported by the Foundation, including
Scholar Athletes and UNCF, Kober said.
The Foundation has run the Foot Locker
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 |
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF FOOT LOCKER
F
oot Locker’s position as a leading retailer
extends far beyond the sales floor.
For two decades, the athletic chain has
focused on supporting education-based
causes and sports programs in the U.S.
The company continues its work raising awareness for issues through ongoing efforts such as
its annual On Our Feet gala and the Foot Locker
Scholar Athletes scholarship program.
“As a strong company, we firmly believe in
supporting our core value to act responsibly for
the communities in which we live and work,”
said President, CEO and Chairman Ken Hicks.
“Through the years, we have developed significant partnerships, programs and initiatives in
our markets that benefit both our customers
and associates.”
Past campaigns have included the “Foot Locker Cool School Video” program, which extended
from 1989 to ’99, and challenged middle school
students to create videos with a positive “stay
in school” message. Foot Locker also worked
with Fila for three years in the ’90s to replace
basketball court equipment and maintain nets
and rims at schools in New York City, Detroit,
Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
In more recent years, Foot Locker Foundation
Inc. — founded in 2001 and currently headed by
Hicks — has continued the brand’s mission of
providing opportunities for today’s youth, said
Lori Anne Kober, VP of public relations. Programs supported include the On Our Feet gala,
an annual October event that taps athletic industry insiders and vendors such as Nike, Adidas,
Reebok and Converse, as well as athletes, to raise
money for various charities, she said.
Scholar Athletes program since 2011, granting $20,000 college scholarships to students
demonstrating excellence in academics, sports
and leadership within their communities. The
initiative, which last year granted funds to 20
recipients, represents a $400,000 yearly commitment, Kober said.
Students seeking to qualify for the scholarship
are asked to submit applications that show their
involvement in high school and/or communitybased sports programs. They must also meet
minimum GPA requirements, and provide faculty recommendations and personal essays.
“For the past three years, we’ve had the distinct
privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible
impact our scholarship program has had on exceptionally talented and deserving students, particularly those who may not have had the opportunity
to even attend college [otherwise],” Hicks said.
John Bender, one of the 2013 Foot Locker
Scholar Athletes, is a sophomore studying chemical engineering at Columbia University. “[The
scholarship] has given me the opportunity to
further my education ... one that may not have
existed previously without the extra financial
support,” he said. “Becoming a Foot Locker
Scholar Athlete has changed my life.”
Foot Locker’s philanthropy is not only tied to
financial contributions. One example of grassroots community efforts includes the Cross
Country Championships, which the company
has hosted since 1979. The yearly event gives 10
boys and 10 girls from four regional races the
opportunity to compete in San Diego for national
titles. Noted alumni include Meb Keflezighi,
who placed second in the boys’ race in the 1993
National Finals. In April of this year, Keflezighi
became the first U.S. runner to win the Boston
Marathon in 31 years. (Other famous alumniturned-Olympians include Jen Rhines, Amy
Rudolph, Alan Webb and Ryan Hall.)
Foot Locker has also worked with the Fred Jordan mission in Los Angeles since 1989, participating in its annual “Back-to-School” giveaways
of shoes and food.
“It’s great to see these children walking out
with these free pairs of shoes, and they’re just so
pumped,” Kober said. She added that the retailer
donated nearly 4,000 pairs last year and more
than 125,000 pairs over the past 25 years.
Outside of companywide programs, Foot
Locker’s various divisions often work on brandspecific community efforts. For example, Kids Foot
Locker partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America, while Lady Foot Locker releases exclusive footwear lines for retail that bolster the Foot
Locker Foundation’s support for the American
Cancer Society.
| 43
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MILESTONE
FOOT LOCKER @ 40 × Vendor Sound Off
Partners praise Foot Locker’s winning formula.
BY MARGARET SUTHERLIN
ROB DEMARTINI
President, CEO; New Balance
“At New Balance, we continue to see Foot Locker as the industry
expert on athletic and performance footwear trends across
the U.S., and it’s now growing more impactful across the
world. In the last five years under Ken Hicks’ leadership,
the Foot Locker culture has become more proactive,
collaborative and inclusive. They are a trusted
partner who puts their consumers first and works
hard with us to bring better product to market.”
KEVIN PLANK
Founder, CEO; Under
Armour Inc.
“Foot Locker is one of the world’s
most powerful brands because
they are not afraid to dictate
tomorrow’s trends or take risks.
They are constantly evolving
and bringing
fresh ideas to the
industry. It’s more
than just a store
that’s trying to
sell you a shoe or
a shirt. Their ability to inspire and
elevate the customer experience
is special, and we’re grateful to
be part of that. To be an effective
leader, you need a clearly defined
vision. Ken Hicks, Dick Johnson
and their leadership team have a
clear vision and the restless spirit
to implement that vision. You can
see that come to life along with
their brand values in every aspect
of their culture. We experience it
as partners, but we also feel it every time we walk into one of their
stores as customers. The team at
44 |
Foot Locker is humble, hungry
and passionate about athletics. We
couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
BARNEY WATERS
Chief marketing
officer;
K-Swiss Inc.
“[The team at] Foot
Locker has done
a tremendous job
reestablishing its
brand as a premier mall destination
while focusing on a younger audience interested in athletic fashion
footwear. Foot Locker’s management has a clear vision of their
consumer and understands how to
drive trends and initiatives utilizing
core athletic brands with historical
value as the common denominator.”
JAY PICCOLA
President;
Puma North
America
“[They are] the
most important
and influential
sneaker destination in the mall.
What makes them unique is their
laser focus on the consumer and
their commitment to an elevated
retail experience and premium
product offering. The [company’s]
leadership team has pushed Puma
to another level. Our teams work
well together at delivering the
most innovative product and
shopping experience to the consumer. Last year while planning
the Puma Lab retail [concept], our
goal was to transform the business
and culture to the best and coolest place to buy the latest gear.
Together, we tackled that.”
BOB PUCCINI
President,
Mizuno USA;
chairman,
Mizuno
Canada Ltd.
“Foot Locker
has a diverse
retail format
that caters to
various consumer sets based on
local market need. The brand has
remained relevant and connected
with the youth culture by captur-
ANDREW RUDOLPH
Sales director, mall channel;
Adidas Group
“Foot Locker is the leading destination in the mall for the hottest
sneakers and the go-to destination
for high school kids who want the
latest gear for fashion and function. The Foot Locker team is
dynamic, visionary and passionate
about sports. I congratulate them
on 40 successful years.”
DAVID ALLEN
VP, GM; Converse
North America
“Over the past 10
years, Foot Locker
has focused on
[pinpointing] who
their consumers are.
Because of this [consumer-centric]
approach, they have been able to
precisely develop a specific look
and feel for each of their banner
stores. By laser-focusing on their
consumers and being passionate about winning at retail, Foot
Locker has remained the leader
in athletic retail with tremendous
growth and profitability. The Foot
Locker team, under the leadership of Ken, Dick and the division
presidents, is a great partner to
Converse. In the good and the notso-good times, whether business is
great or struggling, there is always
mutual trust and respect. We count
[Foot Locker] as a tremendous and
valuable ally.”
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF COMPANIES
FAN REACTION
ing trends and leading the market
in both fashion and performance.
The management team, led by Ken
Hicks and Dick Johnson, has done
a great job of creating a focused direction for the brand and defining
consumers by division. Their passion for the business and athletics
is evident through their innovative approaches and the brand’s
ability to remain on top. Foot
Locker has been a tremendous
partner over the years and has
always represented the Mizuno
brand at the highest level to the
consumer.”
| SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
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09022014160720
MILESTONE
Q&A × FOOT LOCKER @ 40
POWER
FORWARD
(continued from page 21)
environment — shopping in a store is entertainment. You have to make it a place where
they want to go. Retailers that are having difficulty haven’t invested in service, online and
product, and therefore they’re suffering. We
have had the benefit of making investments.
Which brands are seeing strength in your
stores?
KH: The customer will go to those places that
offer the products they want, and Nike has a lot
of what they want. So Nike is strong, and they
are a terrific partner who we work well with
and want to grow aggressively with. But we see
other vendors as not standing still. Adidas has
some new things: some great football boots, a
strong American football shoe they’re selling,
and the new basketball shoe with Boost technology that I think will be a big win for them.
So Adidas is doing well. Also, Under Armour
has the new SpeedForm shoes and apparel, and
Puma is working very hard to come back.
What is the outlook on the Runners Point
acquisition?
KH: We want to make sure we get it right. They
had gotten a little broad and wide at the turn,
so now we’re focusing it more, with Runner’s
Point on technical running and Sidestep on
more fashion and trend. We’re pleased with
the results. They were accretive in the first few
quarters, and we think we will continue to see
success from them.
Are you feeling bullish about the next
40 years?
KH: The athletic market will continue to grow
and develop and be an exciting place. We’re
grateful that the people at Kinney Shoe and
F. W. Woolworth came up with the concept for
an athletic shoe chain called Foot Locker, and
we’re very proud to be part of that and to con-
When people think,
‘I need a pair of
sneakers,’ they think
of Foot Locker first.”
— Ken Hicks
tinue to expand the idea they had. Not many
chains have survived in the past 40 years, but
we’ve flourished. We’ve been able to do that
because of a strong team, strong partners, great
customers and never being satisfied. [We’re]
continuing to evolve and grow our brand and
make it into something that is great for customers, great for us and great for our vendors
and shareholders.
FOOTWEAR NEWS 2014 EDITORIAL CALENDAR
ISSUE DATE
SPACE CLOSE
SEPTEMBER
9/8
8/28
EDITORIAL FEATURE
FOOT LOCKER Milestone, Kids-Special Section, Materials & Components
Distribution: SMOTA, Children’s Great Event Shoe Show,
NE & NW Materials Show
9/15
9/4
China Issue • Distribution: Sole Commerce, theMICAM Shanghai, Fashion Access
9/22
9/11
Must Buys Spring
OCTOBER
10/6
9/25
QVC Presents FFaNY Shoes On Sale, Paris Runway Coverage
10/13
10/2
The Work Boot Issue, Occupational Footwear, Outdoor
10/20
10/9
Best In Kids, Kids Fashion, Kurt Geiger Special Report
Distribution: QVC Presents FFaNY Shoes On Sale Event
Distribution: Children’s Club Of NY
10/27
NOVEMBER
11/3
10/16
FN 100
10/23
DEER STAGS Milestone, Comfort, Rainboots
Distribution: NSRA Leadership Conference
11/10
10/30
Sneakerhead Issue, Materials & Components, Sustainability
11/24
11/13
TWO TEN Footwear Milestone, FFaNY Pre-Show Issue
Distribution: Two Ten Footwear Annual Dinner, FFaNY
FN0908P20,21,45.indd 45
09032014165228
SMALL SPACE
BIG
BUSINESS
Footwear News
is the premier
destination
for the footwear
industry’s
classified and
career listings.
800.423.3314
9/3/14 4:50 PM
Bumping History
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
American twins Bob and Mike Bryan last week continued their doubles
dominance at the U.S. Open tennis tournament. The 36-year-old brothers,
sporting K-Swiss apparel and the brand’s Bigshot II sneakers in storm blue and
safety orange, were well on their way into the record books. The top-ranked
tennis tandem, victorious in the semifinals on Thursday, was one tournament
championship away from winning their 100th career title together.
On the Cover: Designed by ELIZABETH SLOTT
FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2014 FAIRCHILD FASHION MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
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