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Shoeholics set to open Dalton Park store The hit online footwear retailer Shoeholics has signalled that even during these uncertain times when so many brands seem to be fleeing brickand-mortar outlets, it’s possible to buck the trend. Indeed, as IN&AROUND headed to press, Shoeholics had confirmed that a shop at Dalton Park, near Seaham, would be one of six soon to be opened around the UK, in locations such as London’s Oxford Street, Birmingham and Glasgow Silverburn. A success story in times of recession More than 12 million customers regularly snap up bargain footwear on the Shoeholics website, which is known for the heavy discounts it offers on shoes from such in-demand brands as UGG, Birkenstock, Kurt Geiger, Skechers and Steve Madden. Shoeholics digital director Gareth Rees-John explained that the firm had seen a big jump in customers’ level of spending in its online store after lockdown restrictions were imposed. He commented: “We saw a clear trend during lockdown of consumers spending money they saved from not going out on their obsession with shoes. We have the largest online collection of
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designer shoes covering 150 brands and individual consumer spend was in many cases three times the norm. “The recent increase in consumer spend, we know is due to our value proposition for branded shoes which is unrivalled in the UK with discounts available between 30% - 40%.” He described the business’s decision to open six shops as “a confident move that reflects both the UK’s continued obsession with shoes and consumers’ focus on value in these uncertain economic times.” Could now be the perfect time to stock up on affordable footwear? Reports at the time of this article being written indicated that the Dalton Park outlet was set to open by the end of July. With Rees-John promising that Shoeholics’ highstreet presence will represent “a one-stop shop for shoes from over 100 great brands”, enthusiasts of both affordable and stylish footwear in County Durham have been given one more reason to venture back out to physical retail stores as the region continues its recovery from the coronavirus outbreak.
