In-Store Experience Celebrates Craft and Recraft with Nods to Past and Future

Brand’s heritage and expertise in the tradition of shoemaking is brought to life in Port Washington Studio store experience

Iconic footwear brand Allen Edmonds, one of the Caleres (NYSE: CAL) lead brands, announces the premiere of a new store concept in Boston. After three decades on Newbury Street, the brand is unveiling its in-store experience, the Port Washington Studio with recraft and custom services, at its new location at 141A Newbury Street. The store will open on Thursday, March 30.

“Newbury is one of Allen Edmonds’ original store locations,” said David Law, senior vice president and general manager for Allen Edmonds. “We have history with this city and chose this as a place to celebrate the brand and our community with this physical incarnation of our American heritage luxury positioning.”

Allen Edmonds is one of the original architects in the ritual of recrafting shoes with over one million recrafted pairs to date. The store offers the opportunity for customers to experience this flagship service as part of the pinnacle of Port Washington Studio. The Studio is a drop-in shop that shares the journey of the Port Washington factory shoemaking with an expert concierge to walk customers through recraft or building a custom shoe.

“We believe that quality is the original form of sustainability; only the very best made shoes can be recrafted,” added Law.

The componentry of customization is on display including leathers and soles, along with historical images and tools of the trade. Classic wood cases showcase the brand’s iconic styles such as the Park Avenue, which continues to be the industry’s best-selling cap toe oxford. The tension of this luxury caseline comes into the spatial narrative as the wood evolves into a more modern wall system with metal shelves and glass. This area acts as the backdrop for the hybrid and sport collection offering from the brand. This expanded sport offering, which leverages Allen Edmonds' iconic styles, has been essential to the brand’s recent success and will play in integral role going forward.

Additional styles are presented in a series of living rooms, each detailed with warm wood casing, end tables and seating areas using the brand’s signature material, leather. The brand’s mastery of leather is celebrated in a tactile display of swatches from tanneries around the world and carries through the space in banquet seating.

The symbolism between old and new is endemic to the brand and their legacy. Images throughout the store underscore this, with a balance of historical photos and graphic, emotional black and white photographs lensed by the legendary Billy Kidd. Kidd documented the style and culture of over 100 people for the brand’s 100-year anniversary in 2022.

“Our American heritage, luxury position and commitment to making the highest quality shoes in Port Washington, Wisconsin, have created a strong foundation for evolution and growth,” Law continued. “There is a quality and classic revival going on - we did that first and haven’t stopped.”

About Allen Edmonds

Celebrating 100 years in 2022, Allen Edmonds Shoe Corporation is a U.S.-based manufacturer of premium men’s footwear and accessories crafted in the USA. Using only premium leathers via a 212-step process, Allen Edmonds dress and casual shoes are a timeless and sophisticated representation of American style. To ensure they can be worn for a lifetime or passed down as an heirloom, the brand offers shoe recrafting services out of its Port Washington, Wisconsin, factory, which has saved over 500,000 pairs of shoes from landfills over the last 10 years.

About Caleres:

Caleres is a diverse portfolio of global footwear brands that include Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Vionic, Naturalizer, Allen Edmonds, Lifestride, and more. Our products are available virtually everywhere - in the nearly 1,000 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our branded e-commerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Combined, these brands make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission. Our legacy is our more than 140 years of craftsmanship and our passion for fit, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel great… feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more about us.

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