Footwear Insight

4 • Footwear Insight ~ August 2020 footwearinsight.com e end of August and the beginning of September always feel like a fresh start to me. Even this year, when the whole "back to school" concept has been turned on its head, wrapping up one season and moving onto the next seems like a good time to take stock before moving ahead. is month, we reached out to some of the past winners of our Gold Medal Service Award to find out what footwear independents across the country were seeing in stores. And while there are always regional differences in assortments and needs, it was striking to see how much uniformity store owners reported. Athletic is important right now; no surprise there. (If that's true for you, Bob McGee breaks down key developments in the running category on page 6.) And so are versatile, comfortable, easy-to-wear sneaker, slipper, clog and sandal styles that work-at-home consumers and everyone else who's spending extra time around their abode crave. ose cozy styles were the inspiration for our fashion feature, which you can check out on page 18. And for all the essential workers and outdoor enthusiasts on the job and hitting the trail, we have Boot Book picks for all wearers on page 26 — you'll find options from a range of seasons, since as you may have noticed, the old rules about buying cycles have changed up, too. But what struck me when talking to some of these store owners were the reasons for optimism many had seen in these, yes, unprecedented times. Business is challenged, no doubt about it. And figuring out a strategy for the new beginning of fall is certainly no walk in the park. But owner aer owner told me that they'd seen new resonance to the "shop local" movement in their conversations with customers old and new, with new customers and old making a point of buying from their neighborhood shops. Lots of stores have said the new levels of communication and transparency demanded of them in this moment have paid off in enriched relationships with their staff and employees. And some of the service innovations that were employed in haste during and aer shutdowns — appointment-only hours, home delivery, virtual fittings and online showcases — have won new fans and made even more loyal advocates out of longtime supporters. In a time when bright spots can be hard to come by, hearing owners share their own silver linings and the ways they plan to take them into the new season was a game changer. I hope you'll check out the story on page 14 — and I hope you'll share what you're seeing as we move through this wild year. A Fresh Start TIME OUT | JENNIFER ERNST BEAUDRY Published every Wednesday. Sign up for your complimentary subscription now! footwearinsightextra.com News, Analysis and Opinions • Footwear Insight Index FOOTWEAR INSIGHT EXTRA

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