Where have all the good shoe shops gone?

[jo]

Round here there used to be loads of shoe shops but one by one they have gradually (almost) disappeared. In one high street, Truform was replaced by FHW which after several years, eventually closed. Up the road, a very old store (FHW?) became a self-serve Shoe Express and that went the same way. Timpsons became Shoe Zone, now selling mainly cheapo stuff. A Barratts opened, and a year later, closed down. Several others, names long forgotten, have also disappeared in the last decade. Very few shoe-only stores to be seen now. We are left with a Stead and Simpson, a Shoe Fayre (cheapo stuff again), and an out-of-town Brantano of interest. There is a very old Clarks store, and a few in-store departments in larger stores (M&S, Asda, New Look, River Island, Etam, Mk One, BHS, Peacocks, Next, large department stores, etc). I see that Treds have opened though. In another local town, both branches of Saxone disappeared a decade ago, or more. Some time later Ravel closed down (I loved their stuff, but it was a bit pricy). Last year Dolcis disappeared, and a few months back the Stead and Simpson store also went. Several other favourites are also long gone. What happened to "Bay Trading Co" too, they've also gone. There is still a Faith, and a Barratts, and Office have opened (sadly no Schuh yet). The only other choices are the usual Next, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, TK Maxx, Asda, River Island, BHS, MK One, Peacocks, Russell and Bromley (if you're super rich), and a few department stores. The "shoe shop" as a shop seems to be gradually disappearing, to be replaced by a small shoe department in a much larger store. So too, the move from "service" to "self-service". Is this much the same over the whole of the UK, or does your High Street still have a good selection of "shoe shops" selling, well, umm, just "shoes"?

[Firefox]

I think you've answered the question. No longer do consumers have only the choice of Clarks and Dolcis in the high street. They are faced with ever increasing competition from the Tescos and Asdas as well as the out of town retail park places and not forgetting the internet sellers too. Therefore there's going to be less of the traditional shops. The market is only so big.

[jo]

The traditional shoe shop usually had a far wider range, both in style and size, than the little-department in the corner of a bigger store. I was gutted, too, when Barratts closed down on Kensington High Street. Luckily though, there is still Sacha, Dune, 9 West, and a few others there.

[Firefox]

I've got an idea Sacha has closed, if it's the one on the corner of Kensington Church Street. Xaphod will know. It's his favourite store.

[Calv]

Sorry Jo but Sacha has already gone from Kenny High Street, it's now a branch of Carphone Warehouse according to Xaphod. I've noticed the same in my local town centres. All the places like FHW Dolcis & Saxone have gone. Mind you in Coventry there is a big new Deichmann store just opened in the centre - bit like Brantano but a very large range of shoes & boots on display up to a 7 or occasionally an 8. As Firefox says it is all due to the changing retail landscape. Five years ago Asda hadn't even thought of shoes, now they sell thousands of pairs and the styles change weekly. Nice to hear from you again! Calv

[jo]

You what? Sacha gone from Kensington High Street? You're joking? Damn. I was going to go in their next month sometime. It was the one that was just by the flower sellers, and a hundred yards from Pizza Hut. Nice little store, but I noticed their range tail off in the last year or so though.

[genebujold]

Many of them, or rather, their suppliers, have gone online: http://www.zappos.com

I guarantee you that Zappos' overhead per pair is less than half that of your normal retailer, even with a significantly larger number of returns.

I'm convinced that the retail outlet will remain, however, because shoes are so particular with respect to their fit from one manufacturer to another. For example, I really enjoy wearing Franco Sartos - just about all models feel like they were made for my feet. Many other brands, however, fit with tight spots in the wrong places while being too loose where they need to be snug. Part of that's due to the fact that I have a very slender foot, but the other part is that feet vary significantly, and manufacturers tend to be true within their line with respect to proportional fit, as it helps ensure repeat customers aren't disappointed.

Since nearly all shoes (and clothes, for that matter) are machine-made these days, it makes little sense to continue in the current "try before you buy" mode. It would be a simple thing to post clear instructions on how to measure yourself, including your feet, and to store those measurements in a centralized database, much like PayPal, that online manufacturers could reference when you purchase shoes and clothing online. Early on they may simple reference your dimensions against their own, but later on they may very well move on to computer-aided machining, essentially tailor-making your clothes to fit you and shipping to you straight from the factory, or, for smaller outlets or those sucontracting the manufacturing of their lines, shipping to you from the online retailer (like Zappos).

[Heelfan]

There are three reasons, the first two of which have already been mentioned: 1. Countless boutiques and fashion shops, not content with selling clothes, have got greedy and sprinkled fashion shoes and boots aoround their stores, eroding the shoe-shops' sales. 2. Online shoe-shopping (Zappos etc) is getting bigger and bigger, also eroding the shoe-shops' sales. 3. The enormous erosion of the market for fashionable shoes caused by the tidal wave of trainers/sneakers/plimsolls/sports shoes. In my lifetime each town has swung from virtually 100% of the shops selling smart fashion stuff to 50% of them now being entirely trainers etc. Glumly yours, Heelfan

[Bubba136]

While the plight of the shoe shop is interesting, I wonder what happens to the shoes that aren't sold after the season ends. The "after market" has got to be huge. Because of all of the "slightly outdated" that aren't sold. What happens to them? There used to be a giant wearhouse type sales store in the tidewater area of Virginia -- Close to Williamsburg/Hamption if I remember correctly -- that sold out of fashion or left over shoes. In fact, on one visit to the area when my Daughter was attending Law School at William and Mary, we visited it and I found two pair of calf high boots with 4" stiletto heels that were in fashion back in the 70's. But, based on the number of manufacturers in this world, the number of pairs made and the number of stores selling shoes, there has to be "boneyard" with tons and tons of high heels, somewhere.

[jo]

In the UK, quite a lot of them seem to end up at a discount clothes and shoes chain called TK Maxx - quite a bit of their stuff has a "past season" sticker on it.

I expect that a lot of it is re-exported to some less wealthy nation and sold, at not much more than than cost, to the natives.

[Stormie]

While the plight of the shoe shop is interesting, I wonder what happens to the shoes that aren't sold after the season ends.

Lakeside in Essex hold regular 'shoe sales' - I believe it's once a month, but it may be more frequent than that - in a large warehouse. Been many years since I've gone to one, but that's all unsold, out-of-season shoes from shoe shops.

I think it depends what you're looking for, I think we got some good school shoe bargains there but that's probably the extent of it. It's hardly glamorous (or clean and tidy).

As for shoe shops, Reading seems to have conquered the market. I think there are 6 or 7 in the Oracle Centre alone.

[genebujold]

We have TJ Max here, as well, and you're right - it's a dumping ground for shoe and clothing overstock. The Discount Shoe Warehouse and others perform the same function.

[docs41]

The same thing has happened here in the US. With the prevalence of department stores, huge malls and discount outlets the "regular" shoe stores are disappearing fast. In fact I can't even by a pair of shoes, or hardly anything else for that matter where I live. The downtown section is virtually deserted making it another casualty of urban sprawl. There is one store about 50 miles from here in Sharon, PA that is thriving despite the economics of today. It is called Reyers and they advertise themselves as "the largest shoe store in the world". They very well could be, the place is huge. I have bought several nice pairs of shoes there and hope that they continue to thrive. Their sales are fantastic!

[Dr. Shoe]

Lakeside in Essex hold regular 'shoe sales' - I believe it's once a month, but it may be more frequent than that - in a large warehouse. Been many years since I've gone to one, but that's all unsold, out-of-season shoes from shoe shops.

It's now open 7 days aweek, every week!

[jo]

Lamenting the long ago passing of Sacha from Kensington High Street, I now notice this entry in some directories: Sacha, 61 Berners St, London, W1T 3NQ, UK - but is it a shoe shop?

[muddypaws]

Round here there used to be loads of shoe shops but one by one they have gradually (almost) disappeared.

In one high street, Truform was replaced by FHW which after several years, eventually closed.

Up the road, a very old store (FHW?) became a self-serve Shoe Express and that went the same way.

Timpsons became Shoe Zone, now selling mainly cheapo stuff.

A Barratts opened, and a year later, closed down.

Several others, names long forgotten, have also disappeared in the last decade. Very few shoe-only stores to be seen now.

We are left with a Stead and Simpson, a Shoe Fayre (cheapo stuff again), and an out-of-town Brantano of interest.

There is a very old Clarks store, and a few in-store departments in larger stores (M&S, Asda, New Look, River Island, Etam, Mk One, BHS, Peacocks, Next, large department stores, etc). I see that Treds have opened though.

In another local town, both branches of Saxone disappeared a decade ago, or more.

Some time later Ravel closed down (I loved their stuff, but it was a bit pricy).

Last year Dolcis disappeared, and a few months back the Stead and Simpson store also went.

Several other favourites are also long gone. What happened to "Bay Trading Co" too, they've also gone.

There is still a Faith, and a Barratts, and Office have opened (sadly no Schuh yet).

The only other choices are the usual Next, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, TK Maxx, Asda, River Island, BHS, MK One, Peacocks, Russell and Bromley (if you're super rich), and a few department stores.

The "shoe shop" as a shop seems to be gradually disappearing, to be replaced by a small shoe department in a much larger store. So too, the move from "service" to "self-service".

Is this much the same over the whole of the UK, or does your High Street still have a good selection of "shoe shops" selling, well, umm, just "shoes"?

:mecry:I think you are quite right.

I used to love Dolcis. They always had a great selection of shoes. They have gone the way of big chains. Lost in the masses. to whit mostly cheapo rubbish.

Although Tk Maxx is not a shoe shop per se, they do have some good quality shoes in there . I like to go in and try on a few styles, even buy.

New Look too is not bad, again, not a shoe shop but good to see the styles and to try on. Nothing better than 4 inch heels (not many). Besides United Footware, (Dudley & Worcester) which my daughter introduced me to, I have not found anyone to sell HIGH HEELS. U/F do have platforms, but that is another thing again.

Don't give up. Who knows, tomorrow is another day.

Muddypaws:-?

Sorry Jo but Sacha has already gone from Kenny High Street, it's now a branch of Carphone Warehouse according to Xaphod.

I've noticed the same in my local town centres. All the places like FHW Dolcis & Saxone have gone. Mind you in Coventry there is a big new Deichmann store just opened in the centre - bit like Brantano but a very large range of shoes & boots on display up to a 7 or occasionally an 8.

As Firefox says it is all due to the changing retail landscape. Five years ago Asda hadn't even thought of shoes, now they sell thousands of pairs and the styles change weekly.

Nice to hear from you again!

Calv

I was in Coventry last Saturday, I did not know of Deichmann or I would have gone for a mosey. The very first time I went to a shop to buy a pair of shoes was at Saxone in Chiswick, they were Black Pat. "Tulip". the assistant asked me if I would like to try them on. As it was my first time, I said "I suppose I ought" so I did and walked in the store in them. I felt great. They were £17.99. I later bought a like pair for my partner. They were not worn very often, as I had a pair and it was and still is not approved, but that does not stop me wearing my shoes whenever I can. That is very often.

Muddypaws.