Kurt Geiger-owned e-tailer Shoeaholics to open physical stores

Kurt Geiger-owned footwear e-tailer Shoeaholics is to open physical stores in the UK this month after seeing surging sales during lockdown.

The retailer, which was founded in 2014, has already launched a pop-up store in Cheshire Oaks, with five more to follow in Birmingham, Swindon, Dalton Park, Silverburn, and London’s Oxford Street.

“We saw a clear trend during lockdown of consumers spending money they saved from not going out on their obsession with shoes,” the company's digital director Gareth Rees-John said in a statement. “We have the largest online collection of 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 down to our value proposition for branded shoes, which is unrivalled in the UK with discounts available between 30 percent and 40 percent.”

Rees-John said he aims to capitalise on this momentum by opening six stores at once while “other retailers are leaving the high street”.

“This is a confident move that reflects both the UK’s continued obsession with shoes, and consumers’ focus on value in these uncertain economic times,” he said. “There is a gap in the market for a one-stop shop for shoes from more than 100 great brands, especially with the future of department stores at risk.

“We want to bring our expertise to the high street and provide a space where our customers can find their perfect shoe at the lowest price available.”

Photo credit: Shoeaholics, Facebook