Sunday, April 05, 2009
New, mega shoe store is coming
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
Shoe lovers, prepare for some massive footwear findings.
Shoe Show is bringing a new and expansive shoe store to Valley View Mall. Late this summer, this North Carolina company and the owner of the Shoe Dept. plans to open Shoe Dept. Encore on the Roanoke mall's upper level near Macy's.
The footwear store, which is a new retail concept for Shoe Show, will take over four mall spaces at a total of 12,960 square feet. These spaces are the current Shoe Dept. store, a neighboring LensCrafters location, and the former Henebry's Jewelers and One-Stop Cellular spaces, said Louise Dudley, manager of Valley View.
Henebry's relocated to the former Whitehall Jewelers store at Valley View in February. One Stop has closed its store, but it still operates a mall kiosk.
To make way for the new shoe retailer, LensCrafters will shift to the District at Valley View, a retail area adjacent to the mall. By June, this optical retailer is set to land in a 4,986-square-foot space beside Natural Market by Nature's Outlet, Dudley said.
But you'll still be able to buy Shoe Dept. footwear while renovations are going on for the new Shoe Dept. Encore store. The women's and children's departments will shift to the former B.Moss space on the mall's upper lever. The men's shoes will move to a retail space near Sears, according to Vicki Ayers, a spokeswoman for Shoe Show.
Specifics about Shoe Dept. Encore's selection aren't available. Ayers said last week that her company was not yet ready to disclose detailed information about this new retail concept.
Shoe boutique makes house calls
No time to shop for shoes? Retailers increasingly are rolling out new strategies to stand out above competitors, and that includes a local shoe boutique that is pumping up its house-call business.
The idea sprouted recently when a Dandelion Feet customer couldn't seem to find a free minute to pick up a pair of shoes that she ordered from this Market Street shop in downtown Roanoke.
It's time to take the shoes to the customers, store owner Kelly Fleming decided.
Fleming recently launched Heels on Wheels, a shoe shopping and delivery service. In the past, she has dropped off shoes at customers' homes, but she never advertised the service.
To use Heels on Wheels, customers can browse Dandelion Feet's online shoe selection, choose pairs that they'd like to try on and call the store to arrange an appointment.
Fleming will deliver shoes to a customer's Roanoke Valley home at no extra charge, preferably within 24 to 48 hours of the call. When Fleming arrives, shoppers can try on the shoes and buy them on the spot.
Dandelion Feet will offer delivery throughout the day, including in the evenings after the store's 6 p.m. closing time.
For more information about Heels on Wheels, visit www.dandelionfeet.com.
Shop to relocate
A Roanoke County antiques, furnishings and home decor shop will relocate to Botetourt County and take on a new identity.
On April 18, co-owners Gerry and Drue Danz plan to close Country Cottage on Williamson Road and move to 4735 Reed Mountain Road in Botetourt County. With the move, the store will have a new name: Reed Mountain Mercantile.
The Danzes plan to open the store May 2.
They're moving the retail business because they're seeking a one-floor space. Country Cottage is located inside a two-story house. Some customers, particularly the elderly, never venture upstairs to shop, they said.
With the new retail space, "everything will be on one floor and will be more visually available," Gerry Danz said.
The Danzes plan to purchase the new building, which currently houses Meggie's Mercantile. The owners of Meggie's are closing April 18 and shifting sales of their country and primitive furnishings, home decor and gifts to the Internet.
They want to open another retail store in the Roanoke Valley, but those plans aren't finalized, co-owner Walt Lacey said.
Meanwhile, look for a moving sale at Country Cottage from April 16 to 18, the shop's last few days in business.
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