Footwear Insight

10 • Footwear Insight ~ May/June 2024 footwearinsight.com T h e National Sho e Retailers Association (NSRA) honored industry standouts with awards during the NSRA Footwear Forum held May 8-9, 2024, in Hershey, PA. Loren Martin, president and owner of ELM Shoes in Greencastle, PA, was honored as NSRA's 2024 Retailer of the Year. e award honors a shoe retailer who demonstrates leadership, integrity, a clear vision for their business, community involvement, participa- tion in charitable events, and service to NSRA. Martin has added to the history of his fam- ily's store, which was founded in 1930 as an innovative attempt to continue a business aer losing a school bus contract, J. Ira Eshleman and his sons-in-law, David Lehman and Norman Martin, turned their former school buses into stores on wheels. In 1941, the men opened a brick-and-mortar establishment. In 1957, Norman's eldest son, Lester, created a separate shoe department within the store. Lester's two sons, Lowell and Loren joined the family business, and together they expanded it in 1983 in order to carry a complete line of footwear. Another expansion in 1997 expanded the store to over 6,000 square feet of floor space and a ware- house that stocks over 20,000 pairs of shoes. Loren bought out his brother and became sole owner of his family-run store in 2013. Under his ownership the business saw a 50% increase in profits over the next few years. e is now a multimillion-dollar shoe business with customers traveling over 50 miles to shop at ELM. In recent years, Loren partnered with Todd Lewis and Greg Wagner of Shoe Fly on the purchase of three Richey & Co. stores in Maryland and Virginia. e fih generation of the Martin family is now on board at ELM Shoes with Loren's children, Gavin and Carrin. And, with the purchase of a neighboring building, Loren is planning on expanding ELM Shoes in the near future. NSRA Award Winners INDUSTRY HONORS THE FOOTWEAR EYE Ara and Feetures were honored as the NSRA 2024 Vendors of the Year. Family-owned ara, a German company, has been known for craing shoes that combine attractive design with the perfect fit for over seven decades. ara North America has 26 employees and independent sales reps across the US and Canada with warehouses located in Ogdensburg, NY and Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Feetures, a family-owned performance sock business based in Charlotte, NC, was founded in 2001 by Hugh Gaither with the purpose of creating products to enhance an active lifestyle. Building on the athletic sock brand's success in run specialty stores, Feetures started selling through independent shoe retailers. Aer partnering with many independents, including regional chains, growth in the sales sector continued to soar — Feetures' Everyday line was developed with independent shoe stores in mind, but the Elite line became the top seller. The NSRA also inducted Jack Bienenfeld and Chuck Schuyler into its Hall of Fame during the Footwear Forum in Hershey, PA. e Hall of Fame honor is NSRA's highest, given in recognition of an individual's years of dedication, leadership and outstanding service that has contributed to the independent footwear community and to NSRA. Jack Bienenfeld, founder of Jildor Shoes and former NSRA Board member, was posthumously inducted. Jack opened the doors of the first Jildor Shoes location in Cedarhurst, New York, on Long Island, in 1949. His business not only survived, but even thrived, as footwear sales shied to giant chain stores and department stores over the years. In 1989, the second generation of the family took over operations of Jildor, now with son Larry at the helm. e third generation of the Bienenfeld family stepped into the business in 2011. Jack remained active with the store even aer his retirement in the early 1990s, overseeing new initiatives such as the addition of an e-commerce website in 2003. He passed away in 2008. Chuck Schuyler, President of NSRA from 2005 to 2020, started his career in 1970 at Drew Shoe Corporation, where he rose through the ranks from salesman to sales manager, eventually leading him to acquire the company. His 27-year tenure at Drew was marked by innovation, growth and a commitment to quality. While at Drew, the company purchased shoe stores across several states and acquired three other footwear manufacturers. In 2005, Chuck embarked on a new chapter as the President of the National Shoe Retailers Association. His leadership was pivotal during a time of rapid change in retail. He was instrumental in expanding NSRA's retail benefit portfolio, championing the Next Generation Leadership Program (NextGen), and enhancing both in-person and online education for members. His tenure also saw an emphasis on digital marketing and social media presence, especially vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chuck was also an active participant in the industry, serving on the board of Footwear Industries of America (FIA) and the Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY). He retired from NSRA in 2020. n VENDORS OF THE YEAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

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