Athletic shoes toughen up; rugged trend opens new territory for vendors

Discount Store News, Jan 16, 1995 by James Mammarella

Discounter seeking an edge in merchandising might consider creating departments within the shoe department. Becker suggested that shoppers would be attracted to displays that highlight top-selling brands. He praised Targetr for its branded athletic shoe wall and Wal-Mart for its boot wall with 50 running feet of work, safety and oudoor footwear.

Adaptations of this kind of wall display are common enough. It is unlikely mass merchants are ready on a broad scale for more expensive department store tactics such as continuous video displays on monitors hung from drop ceilings

In the near term, the winning strategy is to attract and keep customers by offering product value.

Today more than ever that means athletic shoes that look and feel ready for action in woodlands, mountainsides and river gorges -- even though they are mainly worn in malls, parking lots and hallways.