LIFTING LIVES in footwear.

Two Ten Footwear Foundation is a charitable organization serving American footwear employees and their families. We provide emergency financial relief in times of disaster or hardship and confidential access to free legal, financial and mental health counseling services at any time. We also offer college scholarships, upskilling grants, and professional development opportunities.

twoten.org and tie a bow on it and then wait to see what people like and what sells. We’re holding our breath in anticipation.

At the same time, might there be an advantage that Samuel Hubbard isn’t entirely new?

Yes, we’re lucky to have built-in retailers that are just waiting for our women’s shoes. They’ve been very receptive. Moving forward, we’re also making sure to get feedback from select retailers during our development phase. Bob and Steve have been showing select Spring ’24 styles to trusted partners to help us land on the final line-up. We did this somewhat before, but we’re finally formalizing that process and making sure that we’re not just talking to each other internally.

Are you sensing a general willingness among retailers to try something new, despite the overall market headwinds?

I think it comes down to working with them. That reminds me of something that Bruce often used to say at the very beginning of building Hubbard, which was it didn’t matter that he was Bruce Katz, that he used to run Rockport, lots of retailers knew him, etc., etc. He basically did whatever it took for retailers to buy Hubbard. If they wanted shoes on wheels, discounts, better margins, marketing support, the right timing...he’d do whatever it took to get their business. We’re going back to that philosophy, because we’re not working on short-term gains. It’s all about building our brand with retailers to be a success, for everybody, over the long term. With most retailers it boils down to product and service. After losing Bruce, some were concerned about the direction of our brand, especially regarding design and product. Would we continue to innovate? I can assure you that our product wave never stops. We’re going to continue to expand on various lines going forward. We’re just going to have to prove that to everybody over time. The same goes for providing the best service possible.

How much bigger do you envision Samuel Hubbard becoming in the years ahead?

I think, over the next three to five years, we could grow five to 10 times our current size. That’s why people like Bob hopped on board, because they can see us being a $100 million company in a few years. It’s super exciting. And while it’s not a sure shot, it’s also a case of we’d be really foolish to mess this great opportunity up. We’ve got this amazing foundation that Bruce and our team have built over the past 10 years, which includes his incredible shoemaking legacy, the core customers that we already have, and the super-dedicated people that we have working here who just believe so much in the company. We’d be foolish to mess this up by not trying our hardest to keep this company going. It won’t be easy, but when has is it ever been easy? And, to be clear, we see that potential amount of growth just in the premium, luxury comfort space, which involves growing our men’s business and establishing our brand in women’s. As we do that, we’ll have a better idea of what the next steps for further growth might be, whether that’s creating more affordable lines to reach more consumers that could grow our business even more. Until then, we’re taking the slow and steady wins the race approach.

There is plenty of runway for growth just in footwear, correct?

Yes. Becoming a lifestyle brand is also something we think about, and we already make belts and a shoe care line, both of which are doing well. But these extensions are less about adding dollars and more about strengthening our brand overall. Shoe care, for example, is a great value-add for our customers. That said, it’s really all about the shoes for now. But we must remember to be cautious and patient with every aspect of our business. That’s been one of the keys to our survival and growth to this point: making calculated invest- ments across the board. For example, making sure every hire is essential. We can’t take shortcuts, nor fall into the trap of fast growth, because neither is sustainable. Those don’t really exist. The only way we’re going to get to where we want to go is by being cautious and growing organically. If we try to grow too quickly and force it—or spend too much on marketing or hire too many people too quickly—it’ll be game over. So the name of the game is to take it one step,and one pair at a time. Just keep trying to make the right decisions, one season after the next.

What do love most about your job?

I love the challenge and the variety. No one day is the same. I love being able to go to a photo shoot to working on marketing to sitting in on a product development meeting to overlooking finances, etc. I love the people I work with, as well. They’re incredible. We have a core team that has been here for years along with some great new people. I’m lucky to be working with all of them. Sally Murphy, for example, is amazing. She really gets our brand. On top of that, how lucky am I to have had Bruce Katz and now Bob Infantino as mentors in this business. That’s pretty awesome. • continued from page 30

“We just had to establish our identity, which we’ve been basically doing ever since,” he says.

Becoming destination stores requires a combination of unsurpassed selection and impeccable service. Or, as Eisenman likes to describe it, the Stanley Eisenman difference. “I had a customer tell me once that you can get everything you need at Stanley Eisenman Shoes, which was very flattering,” he says. “And while it’s not exactly true, it was good for my ego. They’re also going to receive great service, which is now non-existent in department stores, and shopping online is a crapshoot and likely to involve the hassle of returns.”

In contrast, Eisenman says his team educates customers about a world of shoe-related opportunities. That includes people who often come into the stores in ill-fitting shoes. “It’s nothing for us to put in a tongue pad that makes them feel better instantly,” he says. “We’re good at making quick adjustments—like suggesting Aetrex orthotics, so at the very least we’ll send them out in more comfortable shoes than they came in wearing.”

When it comes to getting customers to buy new shoes, Eisenman relishes every opportunity. He estimates 80 percent come in with the intention to buy, so it’s the remaining 20 percent that present the biggest challenge. “It’s the art of seduction, where we seat them and place product on them,” he explains. “We’ll also walk them around the store, show them what’s new, and ask if they ever tried on these…it’s old-fashioned salesmanship and customer service to break the ice, and it still works.”

Eisenman has no immediate plans to retire. He loves the industry, the job, his employees, and his customers too much to hang ’em up. All of that keeps him coming to work six days a week. “It’s just real gratifying to serve my customers,” he says, noting that his daughter’s godmother has been a regular for almost 50 years. “I’ve waited on generations of families, and it’s a way for me to stay engaged with my local community.”

Of course, it helps that Eisenman has the business running like well-oiled machine. Stress levels are well in check. He still works in regular tennis, pilates, and pickleball times. “I’ve been fortunate that my job hasn’t required a lot of travel and I could be home with my wife and two kids at night,” he says. “My son and daughter always had lots of school activities, and I think I might have missed one. It’s been a healthy work-life balance.”

The merchandise mix appeals to a wide age range.