Rack Room Shoes, the Deichmann-owned family footwear retailer based in Charlotte, NC, is launching Jordan sneakers to all Rack Room Shoes retail locations and online beginning Tuesday, February 3.
“We often say that ‘Legends Raise Legends,’ and this partnership is the ultimate proof of that,” said Brian Burnett, chief merchandising officer at Rack Room Shoes. “Being one of the few retailers to carry the original launch in 1985 was a defining moment for our company. Bringing that heritage back to our shelves with new styles for the next generation of athletes and sneakerheads is a milestone we’ve been waiting to celebrate.”
The newly curated sneaker lineup is said to focus on “the next generation of greatness,” for men, women, and kids, as well as slides, socks and backpacks. The retailer said, “the collection will be anchored by the brand’s most iconic heritage colorways, including the timeless black, red and white combinations that first defined the culture of flight; clean white-white, game royal and vivid pink.”
Is the mid-tier now the place to find premium footwear?
Rack Room’s competition thinks so, as Famous Footwear sees the addition of Jordan as just another cog in the premium wheel, noting that Jordan, Adidas, Birkenstock, New Balance, Brooks, DC Shoes, and Timberland were all top-growth brands last fall.
Famous Footwear launched the iconic brand this past fall, and the retailer’s parent called out the Jordan launch as a key driver of its positive back-to-school success. John Schmidt, the CEO of Famous Footwear’s parent, Caleres, Inc., said the launch of Jordan in the third quarter contributed to steady momentum throughout the back-to-school season, remaining a Top 10 brand and reinforcing Famous’ ability to launch leading brands and deliver powerful results.
The Rack Room Shoes collection of Jordans will feature mid- and low-versions of the Connect, inspired by the Jordan 1, and the Trunner Flow, a new running-focused style offering casual comfort, as well as other offerings influenced by retro Jordans, at approachable price points.
Deichmann is Europe’s largest shoe retailer. Deichmann is represented in 36 countries with over 4,700 stores and employs nearly 50,000 people. Deichmann remains a family-owned company that values organic growth. IPOs and bank loans “are not an issue for the owners.”
Image courtesy Rack Room Shoes
