SGB Update Footwear

NRF Expects 2024 Holiday Spending to Reach New Record

Consumer spending on the winter holidays is expected to reach a record $902 per person on average across gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items, according to the NRF’s latest consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

Nordstrom to Open Two New Rack Stores in Florida

Nordstrom plans to will open two new Nordstrom Rack stores in Melbourne (24,000 square feet) and Sarasota (27,000 square feet) Florida, in fall 2025 and spring 2026, respectively.

Zamberlan Hires North American Sales Manager

The Italian outdoor footwear brand hired Bill Johnson, formerly at Zappos.com, as North American sales manager. He spent the last 19 years as the Outdoor Footwear Buyer at Zappos.com

Topgolf Breaks Ground on New Venue in New Braunfels, TX

The new venue will be in the 400-plus-acre mixed-use development of New Braunfels Town Center at Creekside, a master-planned community, with an opening date in late 2025. This will be the 14th venue in Texas for Topgolf.

Ross Stores Opens 47 Locations

Ross Stores Inc. recently opened 43 Ross Dress for Less and four dd’s Discounts stores across 22 states in September and October. These new locations complete the company’s store growth plans for fiscal 2024, with the addition of 89 new locations throughout the year.

Pajar Canada Acquires Cougar Shoes

Cougar Shoes Co-owner and President Steve Sedlbauer said that the company has experienced financial struggles in recent years due to disruption caused by the pandemic and milder winters in key regions.

REI Co-op Plans Lower Volume of Store Openings for 2025

REI Co-op plans to open six locations in 2025, with three new stores in California, as well as Amherst, NY; Durango, CO; and Lynnwood, WA. The openings mark a moderation in new store growth from the 10 stores scheduled to open in 2024.

Under Armour Retains Oberalp for Swiss Distribution

Since becoming its Italian distributor, Under Armour’s sales in Italy have expanded from €8 million to €50 million ($54 mm). Over the last years, the South Tyrolean group has been growing Under Armour’s business in the wholesale channel.

Baffin Appoints Lead Designer

Austin Sedlbauer, most recently, was the lead designer at Cougar Shoes. He joins Baffin, a subsidiary of Canada Goose Holdings, effective immediately.