Stan the Man

HAT DOES it take to stick in the rough-and-tumble shoe retail business for 50-plus years? In addition to all the obvious capabilities and talents, perhaps above all it’s a genuine love of the game that leads to longevity.

For Stanley Eisenman, running a women’s boutique chain isn’t just a job. This is what he loves to do. It’s a way of life for him that began in the early ’70s when he joined his father’s leased shoe departments out of college. They were housed inside local Monnig’s department stores. Then, in the late ’80s, the duo graduated to eponymous locations, eventually expanding to four in the Fort Worth area, along with a Dallas outpost for a 10-year stretch in the ’90s. Now at a more manageable two locations, Stanley Eisenman Shoes continues to thrive, thanks in large part to Eisenman’s absolute passion for product, his adherence to the lost art of attentive customer service, and his never-ending drive to create meaningful relationships with customers. His enthusiasm for all aspects of shoe retailing is contagious. It’s also the reason Eisenman, 72, can still be found in his stores six days a week. He spends most of that time on the selling floor, doing what he loves most: catering to his loyal clientele, many of whom are on a first-name basis with him.

“We’re like Cheers ,” Eisenman says. “It’s just easy to park in front, stroll in, be greeted by your name, shop an amazing selection, and be fitted properly.”

Eisenman and Richard Marsh, an employee of more than 40 years and manager of the main store, know 90 percent of their customers personally. “It’s more than just a retail transaction,” he says. “Our customers are shopping with friends who they trust and know will have great merchandise and service.” He adds, “Our curated assortment is tailored specifically to their tastes and end-use needs. There’s noplace like our stores—what we call the ‘Stanley Eisenman Shoes difference.’”

With more than 100 seasons of buying under his belt, Eisenman has a gut instinct about what shoes will hit for a high average in his stores. It’s more of an old-school process than modern-day analytics. “I first look to see if a design has eye appeal,” he explains. “Then I’ll look at the construction to see if the cushioning, lining, and materials are of good quality.” He adds, “It’s second nature by now; I’m a fan of well-constructed shoes.” But it goes deeper than that. For Eisenman, choosing the merchandise mix is a passion play. “These are like my babies; I give birth to these shoes,” he says. “When I put a pair on a customer, they can feel my enthusiasm, which generates interest and excitement.”

Take the recent addition of Paul Green sneakers to the mix. “They’re the perfect brand for us right now,” Eisenman offers. “They’re easy on the eyes, they have a nice built-in arch support, and the linings are made of terrycloth, so they feel great as soon as you try them on.”

Every shoe that makes the cut has gone under the Eisenman microscope. The result is what he considers an all-star lineup of about 25 brands, which includes Brunate, Mephisto, Cecelia, Flex, Munro, P448, Robert Zur, NeroGiardini, Pedro Garcia, and, the stores’ top-seller of the past five years, On. The latter might not be expected to set the pace in a women’s boutique that leans dressy. But On hit the ground running and has picked up steam since. “We’ve sold about 10,000 pairs over the past five years,” Eisenman says, noting that the two stores combined sell 10 to 12 pairs daily on average. “It became, by far, our No. 1 vendor within the first year.”

On Goes Off

On’s tremendous success, however, is now bittersweet. That’s because Eisenman recently received a Dear John letter from the brand abruptly ending the partnership. There was no mention of late payments (there weren’t any) or of selling too few pairs. “It was a shock,” he says. “I don’t think I ever lost a line of shoes in 50 years for no apparent reason.”

Why did On turn off Stanley Eisenman Shoes? Word on the street is it wants to focus on being a performance athletic brand. There are also well-traveled rumors that small retail operations—and their relatively small orders—just aren’t worth the hassle. When Eisenman reached out for an explanation, the response was vague. “They said they’re taking the company in a different direction,” he says. “They even offered me the opportunity to return the inventory—and pay the freight, if you can believe that.” Instead, Eisenman is selling his remaining stock of 300 to 400 pairs, which should be completed by September.

For what it’s worth, Eisenman believes On is making a mistake, and he cites the brand’s success in his stores as proof. “Contrary to the owners who think On is a performance brand, it’s a lifestyle brand,” he says. “Ninety percent of the people who choose to wear the brand do so because the shoes are currently the best-looking athletic shoes on the market, they’re lightweight, and they’re comfortable.” He adds, “They’re just great lifestyle shoes. People often wear them when traveling—the airports are full of people wearing On. It’s people of all ages, too. And I can assure you, we don’t have ultra-marathoners coming into our stores to buy these shoes.”

Whatever On is or wants to be, losing the brand in the near-term creates a sales vacuum for Stanley Eisenman Shoes. On has been a steady traffic draw for regular customers as well as new ones. “People come in regularly looking for the brand specifically, while many others want to replace their old pairs,” Eisenman says. “It’s also given us the opportunity to sell all these customers additional styles to meet their wardrobe needs.”

Like any retailer worth their salt, it’s on (pun intended) Eisenman to find the next big brand. He’s been doing that for decades. For example, in the ’90s, his business was built around three mainstays: Donald J Pliner, Stuart Weitzman, and Cole Haan. In fact, Stanley Eisenman Shoes was one of the first retailers to feature a Stuart Weitzman shop-in-shop, and it once held a red carpet event for Pliner, who signed shoes for customers as part of the festivities. But Eisenman has long since moved on from those brands, replacing them with new ones. Indeed, Stanley Eisenman Shoes has served as a launch pad for many industry success stories. That includes being early adopters of Taryn Rose as well as home to one of the first shop-in-shops for Mephisto. The fact is, Eisenman has long been training customers to embrace the latest and greatest newcomers. “We’ll just steer our customers to the next great brand we carry,” he says. “I’ll just keeping looking and asking around, like I always do. It’s in my DNA to find great shoes.”

A LIFE’S WORK

Eisenman started cutting his retailing teeth at the tender age of 13, working in his father’s warehouse. Little did he know then that it would become a lifelong career, but he’s thankful it has.

“I loved the guy who ran our warehouse; he was a real character,” Eisenman recalls. “He was a country