Footwear Insight

curbside delivery. And we do zoom meetings and free shipping for those customers that would not or could not come in the store." Rueda says these steps have been key in retaining customers, but he notes that business is still down 35-to-50 percent monthly. He says that many consumers are still reluctant to shop in person, while some who have suffered job losses might not have a budget currently for buying new footwear. Looking ahead to 2021, Rueda says that like many other brick-and- mortar shops, he is still sitting on spring inventory, so his spring buy for 2021 has been affected — it will be much lighter and much of it will be from domestic vendors. — CG Soft Shoe Necessity is the mother of invention. If you don't believe the idiom, just ask Adam Griggs, a store manager at the Roy family-owned Soft Shoe in Richmond, Kentucky. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced a retail shutdown in the Bluegrass State earlier this year, Soft Shoe decided the time was right to develop an e-commerce strategy. The banner's web store was built in April. "Before we opened the web store, we tried to have customers call our store and explain what they were looking for so we could take a few items out to the parking lot for them to choose from," remembers Griggs. "We sold some products that way, but it was far more labor intensive, and customers didn't have any opportunity to see what we had available for them to purchase. The web store has been a game changer and we will continue to operate it after COVID." The pandemic has given the Soft Shoe staff time to reflect and strategize on their consumer interactions going forward and be appreciative of their loyal customer base. "Most customers are very much sensitive to what we might be going through as a business," offers Griggs. "A big part of our mission as a store over the past decade has been to engage our community in a positive way. Our investments in local causes and events has rewarded us with incredible customer loyalty in 2020. It has shown me that the community- driven efforts are definitely worth our time, and while we might not have done them solely for monetary gain, they can be very lucrative for our business." In 2021, Soft Shoe is doubling down on staff training efforts. "Everyone's personal story has changed so much, and a lot of people who come in our store have completely re-assessed their own needs and priorities. I see that as an opportunity," comments Griggs. "We have more chances to engage them and share the benefits to their lives for products like an orthotic insert, compression sock, or a more substantial shoe for everyday use," Griggs says. "In 2021, we hope to master the process of greeting, engaging and getting to know our customers better than before. That's something we already knew we should be pursuing, but the changes in the world have pushed it into our forethoughts." Within its current business, the 37-year-old independent has seen a dramatic rise in athletic shoe sales, particularly at higher price points. Griggs describes Hoka One One, Brooks and On as brands that are "on fire." The store plans to increase their brand presences in 2021. —BM Felger's Footwear Flexibility and adaptability are needed by all retailers, large and small, whether it's a pandemic-laden year or not. Perhaps no one knows this better than the staff at Felger's Footwear in Houma, LA, some 60 miles southwest of New Orleans. "Our store has been around for nearly 30 years, and I've never seen anything like what we've seen this year between COVID and the hurricanes taking aim at Louisiana," says owner Brenda Felger. Six of eight Gulf of Mexico storms in 2020 have put Louisiana in the crosshairs of Hurricanes Cristobal, Marco, Laura, Sally, Beta and Delta. A category 4 when it landed, Laura was the most devastating to the region when it arrived on Aug. 22. Felger's was forced to shutter its doors for nearly eight weeks during the pandemic's early months and rely on a personal phone for customer interactions. That period was followed by the string of storm impacts this summer and fall, prompting Felger's to continue making modifications to its business and customer service models. Beyond instituting new safety protocols such as curbside pickup, no contact delivery within a 15-mile radius of the store and special appointment shopping, the independent also began developing an e-commerce strategy. "I know I am late to the [e-commerce] game," admits Felger, "but I have never entertained the idea of selling online because there is nothing that sets us apart from other sites except price. Now, I am looking into it for those who would prefer to not shop in store." As of early November, the business was in the process of adding a web page for selling 28 • Footwear Insight ~ December 2020 footwearinsight.com "A big part of our mis- sion as a store over the past decade has been to engage our community in a positive way. Our invest- ments in local causes and events has rewarded us with incredible customer loy- alty in 2020." Adam Griggs, Soft Shoe "We mandated all custom- ers and staff to use masks and gloves. We implemented curbside delivery." Steven Rueda, Turnpike Comfort Footwear Turnpike Comfort Footwear RETAIL Soft Shoe

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