Boston Says No Signs for DesignerShoes.com

Business Wire, June 16, 2006

BOSTON -- A truck loaded with city code enforcement officials and confiscated signs from local retailers cruised down Newbury St., Boston's premier shopping area, while retailers moaned and yelled and scurried to save remaining signs. The retailers most devastated by the city's action are those smaller, quaint, funky, unique, interesting retailers with shops above the first floor on this famous street lined with Victorian era brownstones. DesignerShoes.com, a retailer specializing in fashion shoes for women who leave a larger footprint, draws customers from all over the world to it's only store located on Newbury St. But one day after the confiscations, with no sign, not one customer found their way to the 4th floor shoe salon filled with over 45 brand names and 55 sizes, that women can't find in regular shoe stores.

"Ironic that less than two months after the death of Jane Jacobs, the great writer, and lover of cities, who wrote about the vital importance of nourishing the small, interesting, unique physical characteristics of city structures for what they contribute to the social and human side of city life and the joy of people who come to cities, we are watching the City of Boston try to eliminate some of these very characteristics," according to Barbara Thornton, founder of DesignerShoes.com and a former city planner.

According to Daryl Smith, Assistant Commissioner of Boston's Inspectional Services Department, they scheduled the sweep, confiscation and ticketing of these smaller retailers at the request of the Back Bay Association and the Newbury Street League, organizations that tend to represent the larger businesses in the Back Bay area. "They requested ISD to enforce the Back Bay Architectural District regulations," he said. "We confiscated 15 signs and wrote tickets for an additional 10 signs, a total of 25 violations on Newbury St."

Most fashion brands that cater to teens do not make styles in the larger sizes needed by millions of America's teenage girls. By giving a face and urgent voice to this overlooked youth market, the Teen Advisory Board hopes to confront the false images and stereotypes about adolescent girls. "These kids come in all shapes and sizes," according to Barbara Thornton, DesignerShoes.com founder and president. "Young women are growing taller than their mothers. Participation in athletics makes their foot bones grow longer too. Millions of young women have to shop in the men's shoe department because the industry doesn't make fashion shoes above size 10 - until now."

The twenty board members represent diverse backgrounds from around the USA and from other countries around the world. They will help DesignerShoes.com select styles for the upcoming season, sharing their opinions and collecting the observations of their peers about brands and influences that dictate the trends for today's teens.

About DesignerShoes.com:

Founded in 1997, www.DesignerShoes.com is the premiere provider of fashion shoes "for women who leave a larger footprint". The Company specializes only in hard to find sizes: wide sizes 8 to 14, extra wide sizes 6 to 14, narrow sizes 9 to 13 and medium sizes 10.5 to 15. DesignerShoes.com offers over 45 top brand names including Anne Klein, Valentina, Naturalizer, Sofft and Via Spiga. It offers six "Collection" categories including Couture, Teen, Bridal, Comfort, Everyday Value and Fashion Fun. In addition to on-line ordering, DesignerShoes.com serves customers at its retail location at 125 Newbury Street in Boston's fashionable Back Bay. For more information call (617) 247-0202, or (888) 371-SHOE. Log on to shop at www.designershoes.com.