Footwear Insight

Objectives for Shoe Fly in 2022 include improving the sales performance of some of its existing doors, while also continuing to keep eyes open for regional acquisition candidates, preferably family- owned businesses. before opening by appointment only. But the business also faced a unique challenge at the time. Shoe Fly had only recently changed its point-of-sale system for the first time in 25 years and began implementing the Imagine POS that month. Lewis said the retail closures gave Shoe Fly's buying staff and internal team additional time to familiarize themselves with program. "Imagine is the perfect system for the future for us," says Lewis, "since it allows us to move inventory very fluidly from one store to another." While it has no ecommerce business to speak of today, Shoe Fly has utilized a warehouse since 2020 and stocked it with a door's worth of inventory. With children's cited as a "particu- larly challenging" part of its business due to an inability to secure the proper volume and assortment of products, Shoe Fly also hasn't seen its classic casual business yet return to pre-pan- demic sales levels. But the athletic segment has grown to more than 50 percent of its total merchandise mix. Performance running styles are largely assigned to the 2,500-sq. . App Run Co. doors with other category silhouettes dedicated to the Shoe Fly assortment. "We really are trying to increase our credibility with the athletic consumer," says Lewis. "In our Appalachian Running Company stores, we are seeking to hire and develop running enthusiasts." Since the pandemic, Shoe Fly has increased its SKU count with its ath- letics business largely generated by the likes of Brooks, Hoka, New Balance, On, Saucony, Altra, Asics, Nike, Keen, Merrell, Oboz and Feetures. Despite broad inflationary concerns in the U.S., price increases have yet to become an issue with Shoe Fly customers, many of whom live in rural, industrial Pennsylvania. "We've had a rather surprising shi," hinted Lewis. "For the first time in 25 years, our top vendor is now our number two vendor. New Balance was number one for 25 years but in the first quarter of 2022, Hoka surpassed them. Because of supply issues, New Balance really gave up that top spot. It wasn't that we chose to stop selling them. ey just couldn't supply the demand and that demand was met by their competitor." Besides Hoka, the Shoe Fly president cited Saucony and Brooks as "stepping it up" when inventory could not be secured from other brands. "I think that most vendors today are hesitant to really promise or over- promise on deliveries," added Lewis. "And I think to a certain extent, the uncertainty in the supply chain has probably helped those vendors a little bit in that when they can't promise fill-in goods, we (retailers) need to order more, we need to write back- ups, and we need to get the orders in earlier." Shoe Fly has its 2022 Back-to-School orders in. But aer two consecutive "challenging" B-T-S seasons, Lewis remains uncertain on what to expect this year given the persistent supply chain issues for some. "If the (B-T-S) products show up a month late, we've missed a big part of the season," Lewis said. In the work/service footwear area, Shoe Fly abandoned its mobile vehicle approach in 2021 aer two decades following the retirement of its full- time manager on wheels. Now, the chain makes deliveries by vans and sets up in-person displays at hospital cafeterias, nursing homes and factory breakrooms. Shoe Fly regularly reaches out to factories and business that are 20 to 30 miles from one of its locations. Firmly planted across Pennsylvania and into the Mid-Atlantic states of Virginia and Maryland, Shoe Fly's objectives for 2022 include improving the sales performance at some of its existing doors, adding new App Run Co. stores in Erie and Camp Hill, PA and continuing to keep its eyes open for regional acquisition candidates, preferably family-owned, independent footwear operations with the same operational values that have kept it buzzing along for years. n footwearinsight.com May/June 2022 ~ Footwear Insight • 21 Traditional sit- and-fit customer service is what Shoe Fly's stores are focused on.

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