FOCUS TRENDS is a monthly retail strategies article on a specific retail category highlighting growth and contraction within the market. For more information, please see our WEBINARS.
Focus Trends ~ Shoes
Expansion & Closures
Declines and reinventions have been the story for the shoe store sector in 2017. The bankruptcy and ensuing closures for Payless ShoeSource in April began the year off on the wrong foot. Payless, which has more than 4,000 locations planned to close 400 by year end.
Even in the athletic shoe side of the sector, stores have had trouble. Foot Locker, Hibbett Sports, and Dick’s Sporting Goods are among those that are dealing with slackening sales.
However, a few stores are still opening at a consistent pace and one is reworking its in-store experience. Shoe Sensation, Shoe Carnival, and Shoe Show consider centers with strong anchors and fashion co-tenants. DSW has taken a hard look at its place in the market, and is now redesigning its store to return to the warehouse aesthetic that it originally debuted.
THE NUMBERS
Expansion & Closures
| Retailer Name | Existing Stores 2016 | New Stores | Closures 2016 |
| Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse | 81 | 9 | 4 |
| Shoe Sensation | 131 | 34 | 3 |
| Shoe Carnival | 392 | 25 | 25 |
| Rack Room Shoes | 424 | 16 | 8 |
| Skechers | 437 | 57 | 1 |
| DSW | 468 | 49 | 7 |
| Foot Locker | 938 | 6 | 42 |
| Famous Footwear | 1030 | 64 | 62 |
| Shoe Show | 1146 | 43 | 37 |
| Payless Shoe Source | 3089 | 16 | 67 |
| Boot Barn | 210 | 32 | 0 |