Footwear Insight

12 • Footwear Insight ~ January/February 2025 footwearinsight.com T he Comfort Co., owned by Jeff Coombridge, has acquired Revere USA. e acquisition follows the decision of Revere co-founders, Craig and Annie Truscott, to return to Australia full-time to be with their families. The Truscotts and Coombridge founded Revere in 2012 with an industry-changing sandal, Emerald (formally Miami), that became a go-to for medical practitioners seeking out stylish women's sandals suitable for orthotics. From there Revere expanded both its product line and wholesale business serving independent, specialty footwear retailers across the United States. Already a co-owner of Revere International and a partner in its development, Coombridge's leadership should help offer a seamless change in company direction and culture, while maintaining the brand's core values and commitment to comfort-focused footwear. For the Comfort Co., the acquisition is a good fit — Revere's stylish, orthotic-friendly footwear offerings align with the global distributor's approach to supplying its network of shoe retailers, medical professionals, e-commerce, and owned retail by providing comfort to multiple age groups at varied price points — "the comfort recipe." e Comfort Co. will also introduce complementary brands to Revere's U.S. market, offering customers more high-quality choices while aiming to strengthen Revere USA's position as a leader in the comfort footwear industry. Along with the Truscotts, part shareholder, Josh Higgins, will also exit the business but remain in consulting roles through 2025 to support ongoing business success. All other aspects of Revere will remain unchanged. "It has been a dream come true to live and work in the US and launch a brand from the ground up," Craig Truscott said. "I look back at our journey with incredible pride for all that we have accomplished, and the friends and relationships we have made along the way. We simply could not have achieved what we have without the amazing support of independent retailers right across the country. Both Annie and I are so very grateful to have been invited into your stores and establish revere into an international brand." n T he Sajdak family announced that they are changing their corporate name from Stan's Bootery Inc. to Midwest Shoe Merchants to better reflect their growing and evolving business. The family has also changed their three brick-and-mortar Stan's Fit For Your Feet stores to Stan's Shoes. "Our corporate name change is just a natural reflection of the expansion of our business," said Megan Sajdak Holtan, marketing director for Midwest Shoe Merchants. "When our grandfather, Stan Sajdak, opened Stan's Bootery on 27th Street in 1950, he never could have imagined what his son Jim and his wife Susan, and now grandchildren Andy, David Ben, and I, in partnership with our parents would grow his business into today. Our new corporate name, Midwest Shoe Merchants, reflects our ownership group's growth of multiple retail shoe concepts and desire for further growth." The Sajdak's third-generation family business, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2025, has seven brick- and-mortar locations under four distinct retail brands. There are three Stan's Shoes stores (formerly Stan's Fit For Your Feet) with locations in Brookfield, Glendale, and Greenfield, WI.; Waxberg's Walk Shoppe in Niles, IL.; Goodmiles Running Company with locations in Brookfield and Greenfield, WI.; and The VIONIC Store in Brookfield, WI. The company also has online national e-commerce businesses at stansshoes.com and goodmilesrunning.com. Stan's Shoes brick-and-mortar locations will roll out design and store updates in 2025 as the brand continues to evolve. n T aos Footwear, celebrating its 20th anniversary as a leader in innovative, supportive footwear, is pleased to announce a strategic investment from Prospect Capital Partners ("Prospect"). This collaboration will provide the financial and strategic support needed to fuel the brand's next phase of growth. Glen Barad, Taos Footwear's founder and CEO shared, "As the business grew, it became clear that we needed a collaboration that would offer both capital and the expertise to elevate our brand. Prospect is the ideal fit to help us achieve our vision and drive continued success." n Ownership Transition at Revere USA Stan's Bootery Now Midwest Shoe Merchants Taos Footwear Gets Strategic Investment VENDOR NEWS RETAIL NEWS BRAND NEWS Annie and Craig Truscott are stepping away from Revere. THE FOOTWEAR EYE

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