Midwest Shoe Merchants is making a move in Northern Illinois, starting with the rebranding of one of its key locations.

The family-owned Midwest operates seven stores under the banner’s Stan’s Shoes, Goodmiles Running Company and The Vionic Store by Stan’s, as well as a e-commerce sites.

In the latest move, Waxberg’s Walk Shoppe is now Stan’s Shoes, which has a 76-year legacy.

Wisconsin-based Midwest acquired Waxberg’s at 7013 W. Dempster St. in Niles, Ill., in 2022. While Midwest evolved the product selection in the store, it kept the store intact with its existing store furnishings and fixtures. The rebranding coincides with a newly renovated space at the same location. The full remodel includes an open layout, as well as new digital foot-scanning technology that provides insights into foot measurements and characteristics.

“We did a lot of research in advance about what people are looking for in a retail space, and we go around to different stores personally,” Megan Sajdak Holtan, Midwest’s chief strategy and marketing officer, said in an interview.

She described the renovated space as having a lot of clean lines, comfortable seating and plenty of space to walk around that also “showcases who we are and what we are, and that really puts the shoes front and center in our store design to make it easy for the shopper.”

The store’s shoe specialists are trained in fit, and technology gives them additional tools at their disposal. The newly renovated store also includes a scanner from Aetrex to provide additional information for the fit specialists.

Source link