Macy’s flagship Herald Square store is creating the world’s largest women’s shoe department, which will be filled with over 280,000 pairs of shoes.

The new 39,000-square-foot department, while boasting twice the amount
of its previous shoe stock, will also add 430 new shoes-only employees
to give the store a more organized, as well as upscale, feel.

The $400 million redesign will move ahead of the legendary shoe floor at Selfridges down to second place, and rival Saks Fifth Avenue, which launched a footwear department several years ago with its own ZIP code.

Macy’s CEO, Terry J. Lundgren, explained the makeover to WWD, saying it is part of wider strategy to keep customers coming back.

He said: “The most direct route to a woman’s heart is often through shoes. Loyalty starts with the shoe department. Once you get a woman in a shoe, it’s over.”