Footwear News articles from October 1988

Footwear News archives from October 1988

Key players dominate closeouts. (part 2 - footwear middlemen)
October 31, 1988... Key players dominate closeouts NEW YORK -- The off-price retail revolution, the demise of the independent, and the growing practice, by retailers, of "diverting" product, have consolidated the footwear industry's closeout business, transforming...

Shoes bring U.S. buyers to London. (British Designer Show)
October 31, 1988... Shoes bring U.S. buyers to London LONDON (FNS) -- Britain has sprung into the forefront of modern footwear design over the last few years, and American buyers flocked to the latest London Fashion Week as much to see the shoes and accessories as...

Subpoenas jam CCA's Interco bid. (footwear industry takeover; City Capital Associates)
October 31, 1988... Subpoenas jam CCA's Interco bid NEW YORK (FNS) -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has put up a roadblock to Washington, D.C.-based City Capital Associates' (CCA) efforts to acquire Interco Inc., by issuing subpoenas to the Rales brothers,...

Endicott forms retail, wholesale operating arms. (Endicott Johnson Corp., footwear industry)
October 31, 1988... Endicott forms retail, wholesale operating arms ENDICOTT, N.Y. -- In an effort to improve profitability, Endicott Johnson Corp. has been reorganized into separate retailing and manufacturing-wholesaling operations with a new chief executive...

N.Y. kids show cites timing in slowed traffic. (International Kids Fashion Show)
October 31, 1988... N.Y. kids show cites timing in slowed traffic NEW YORK -- Children's footwear firms exhibiting at the spring 1989 International Kids Fashion Show reported slower traffic than usual and fewer orders written, due to the show's late timing. ...

Osceola suppliers want to see the color of money. (shoe manufacturer)
October 31, 1988... Osceola suppliers want to see the color of money OSCEOLA, Ark. -- Osceola Shoe Co., because of allegedly "unethical business practices," has alienated its suppliers, and most of them now will sell the deerskin footwear manufacturer only on a...

Clarks still going public as div. gets shaken up. (C&J Clark)
October 31, 1988... Clarks still going public as div. gets shaken up LONDON (FNS) -- C.&J. Clark is on target for going public and expects to do so in late 1989 or early 1990. At the same time as Lawrence Tindale, the group's chairman, made those comments in...

Portland's trendy shops enliven quaint ambiance. (Maine)
October 31, 1988... Portland's trendy shops enliven quaint ambiance PORTLAND, Me. -- A curious mix of old and new greet the visitor to this coastal city, which lies two hours north of Boston. Avantgarde murals, painted on the sides of brick buildings, contrast...

U.S. Shoe to market Leslie Fay line.
October 31, 1988... U.S. Shoe to market Leslie Fay line CINCINNATI -- In a move that could strengthen its position in department stores, U.S. Shoe Corp. has signed a licensing agreement with the Leslie Fay Cos. Inc., New York, under which U.S. Shoe will...

MSF to buy MDA's nat'l brand Biarritz. (footwear wholesaler)
October 31, 1988... MSF to buy MDA's nat'l brand Biarritz CUDAHY, Wis. -- Norman Schuminsky, president of MSF Corp., and Mitchell Rudnick, president and owner of MDA Inc., Auburn, Me., have reached an agreement for MSF to purchase MDA's Biarritz Fashions, making...

Lamey-Wellehan opens big unit. (shoe store)
October 31, 1988... Lamey-Wellehan opens big unit SOUTH PORTLAND, Me. -- Jim Wellehan, president of Lamey-Wellehan Shoes, Lewiston, has set out to prove that bigger is better with the opening of an enlarged unit in the Maine Mall here. At 5,650 square feet,...

Federated postpones junk bond sale. (department stores)
October 31, 1988... Federated postpones junk bond sale NEW YORK (FNS) -- Federated Department Stores has postponed the sale of $1,150,000,000 in junk bonds because of a poor market reception but is planning to restructure the offering. The company had planned...

Seattle's Westlake Center opens - after 30-year wait. (shopping mall)
October 31, 1988... Seattle's Westlake Center opens -- after 30-year wait SEATTLE (FNS) -- After nearly 30 years of designs, redesigns and lawsuits, downtown Seattle's Westlake Center $110 million retail/office complex finally opened recently. Thousands of...

Designers put summer '89 fashion in focus. (footwear design)
October 31, 1988... Designers put summer '89 fashion in focus What colors, styles, materials and shapes are most popular for summer '89? FN asked some of Europe's leading shoe designers for their fashion forecasts. ANDREA PFISTER: "Color will be big...

Besley's handpainted silk goes from head to shoe clip. (shoe accessories)
October 31, 1988... Besley's handpainted silk goes from head to shoe clip CHICAGO -- The business at Besley's Accessories Inc. has been handpainted silk scarves and ties, a specialized niche to be sure. But Besley's has started to break out of that niche a bit by...

Hi-Tec reports 6-month earnings advance 4.7%. (athletic shoe manufacturer)
October 31, 1988... Hi-Tec reports 6-month earnings advance 4.7% ESSEX, England -- Hi-Tec, this country's leading sports shoe supplier, reported earnings for the six months ended July 1988 totaled 4.1 million pounds or 7.83 pence per share, up 4.7 percent from...

Reebok qtr., income dips 25.%. (athletic shoe industry)
October 31, 1988... Reebok qtr. income dips 25.5% CANTON, Mass. -- As anticipated by Reebok International Ltd. chairman Paul Fireman, the company reported a 25.5 percent decrease in earnings for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. Earnings for the quarter...

Candie's beefs up kids' division. (El Greco Inc., footwear div.)
October 31, 1988... Candie's beefs up kids' division PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- The Candie's division of El Greco Inc. is moving "heavily" into the children's footwear category, company executives reported. Building upon the success of Candie's new juniors'...

NSGA-ers see sales jump in '89. (National Sporting Goods Association)
October 24, 1988... NSGA-ers see sales jump in '89 CHICAGO -- Athletic shoe makers predicted significant growth in 1989 at last week's National Sporting Goods Association's World Sports Expo '88 (NSGA), contending tighter management of skus and increased national...

Reebok eyes 'boutique' sales plan.
October 24, 1988... Reebok eyes `boutique' sales plan CHICAGO -- Paul Fireman, chairman of Reebok International Ltd., Canton, Mass., revealed at the NSGA show last week that Reebok would refocus its selling methods to concentrate on a new "boutique concept," in...

Argy leaves all Cherokee positions. (James Argyropoulos)
October 24, 1988... Argy leaves all Cherokee positions SUNLAND, Calif -- James P. Argyropoulos, founder of The Cherokee Group, last Wednesday resigned his positions as chairman, chief executive officer and board member, in connection with the $173.6 million...

CLoseouts held tricky business. (part 1)
October 24, 1988... Closeouts held tricky business NEW YORK -- While footwear industry executives state that dealing with manufacturers' overruns, promotional lots, factory fillers, closeouts -- whatever label they apply to surplus merchandise -- is a part of...

Interco nixes CCA's $74-share 'inadequate' bid.
October 24, 1988... Interco nixes CCA's $74/share 'inadequate' bid ST. LOUIS (FNS) -- Interco Inc. last Thursday rejected City Capital Associates L.P.'s $74-a-share offer for the company, saying it is "inadequate," and declared an additional special dividend of...

U.S. omits shoes from Brazil tariff. (in retaliation for Brazil's failure to protect US intellectual copyrights)
October 24, 1988... U.S. omits shoes from Brazil tariff WASHINGTON (FNS) -- The U.S. will impose 100 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports of consumer electronic goods, paper products and pharmaceuticals in retaliation for Brazil's failure to protect intellectual...

Borg realizes dream in running his BBDG firm. (Bjorn Borg Design Group)
October 24, 1988... Borg realizes dream in running his BBDG firm NEW YORK -- Tennis champion Bjorn Borg spoke frankly last week in an interview with FN about his first off-the-court fashion venture, the Bjorn Borg Design Group (BBDG). BBDG, a...

U.S. buyers embrace MIPEL despite high prices. (Italian leather goods show)
October 24, 1988... U.S. buyers embrace MIPEL despite high prices MILAN (FNS) -- High leather prices did not dampen the enthusiasm of American buyers shopping for Italian-made leather goods at the MIPEL show, which ended here earlier this month. Several...

$500,000 in Brazil-export leather stolen in 3 mos.
October 24, 1988... $500,000 in Brazil-export leather stolen in 3 mos. RIO DE JANEIRO (FNS) -- In the last three months, more than $500,000 worth of Brazilian leather bound for South Korea and Australia never reached its destination, with pried-open shipping...

U.S. non-rubber shoe production off 5% in Aug.
October 24, 1988... U.S. non-rubber shoe production off 5% in Aug. WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Domestic production of non-rubber footwear decreased 5 percent in August, while the production of rubber and fabric shoes climbed 6.8 percent in the month, reflecting a...

Brazil customs strike threatens import flow. (shoe industry affected)
October 24, 1988... Brazil Customs strike threatens import flow RIO DE JANEIRO (FNS) -- A nationwide strike by Customs officials, now in its third week, temporarily stalled shoe exports, and though exports have resumed, the work stoppage now threatens to cause...

Aug. shoe sales trends mixed.
October 24, 1988... Aug. shoe sales trends mixed RIVERSIDE, Calf. -- August shoe trends -- according to a study of more than 5,000 independent specialty stores by Retail Merchandising Service Automation Inc. (RMSA), a retail merchandising and consulting firm here...

Pacific Dunlop's '88 after-tax net up 32.4%. (footwear industry)
October 24, 1988... Pacific Dunlop's '88 after-tax net up 32.4% MELBOURNE, Australia -- Pacific Dunlop Ltd., parent of Revelations Shoe Corp., New York, reported an all-around excellent performance, particularly in its Electrical Distribution, Olex Cables, and...

Considine is vp of Wilson footwear division. (Chris Considine)
October 24, 1988... Considine is vp of Wilson footwear division RIVER GROVE, Ill. -- Wilson Sporting Goods Co. recently named Chris Considine vice president of its footwear division, taking over from Dennis Chandler, officials said. Chandler, who had led the...

DJ yanks 'UB' radio ad with racial overtone. (Reebok advertisement said to be offensive to Blacks)
October 24, 1988... DJ yanks `U B' radio ad with racial overtone WASHINGTON (FNS) -- A local deejay who felt that a Foot Locker radio commercial parodying Reebok's U.B.U. ad campaign was racially offensive recently yanked the spot from their waves. The ad,...

U.K. Sears shoe retail profit rises 15% in half. (Sears PLC)
October 24, 1988... U.K. Sears shoe retail profit rises 15% in half LONDON (FNS) -- Profits from the footwear retailing operations of Sears PLC grew 15 percent to 41.6 million pounds ($70.7 million) on a 4.5 percent gain in sales for the first six months of 1988...

Is the market ready for 2000. (Special report: children's footwear)
October 24, 1988... IS THE MARKET READY FOR 2000? NEW YORK -- Where will the current, burgeoning children's footwear market be in the year 2000? FN asked a number of manufacturers and retailers to gaze into their crystal balls to project the future trends in...

A yellow light shines at start of kids athletics tunnel. (Special report: children's footwear)
October 24, 1988... A yellow light shines at start of kids athletics tunnel NEW YORK -- Little feet, little sneakers, big profits. For the athletic footwear industry, children's products have provided yet another way to specialize in a brand-filled arena. But...

Infants' market gets technological pampering. (Special report: children's footwear)
October 24, 1988... Infants' market gets technological pampering NEW YORK -- The infant shoe market is one of the fastest growing areas in footwear due to technological advances in construction and competition from imports. Previously known simply as window...

Kinney's Anderson will retire. (Cameron Anderson)
October 17, 1988... Kinney's Anderson will retire NEW YORK -- Cameron Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Kinney Shoe Corp., a division of F.W. Woolworth Co., will retire on Feb. 1, 1989, after 40 years with the company. Harold Rowen, senior...

Cherokee tender offer completed. (clothing, footwear group)
October 17, 1988... Cherokee tender offer completed NEW YORK (FNS) -- Green Acquisition Co. has completed its tender offer for 48.4 percent of the Cherokee Group's outstanding shares, marking the end of more than five months of war between the takeover group and...

NSGA mart seen going to technology. (National Sporting Goods Association)
October 17, 1988... NSGA mart seen going to technology NEW YORK -- The athletic shoe market pendulum is expected to swing back to technology this week at the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) World Sports Expo, as performance features take the spotlight...

Enjoins CCA Interco tender. (City Capital Associates' takeover battle with Interco Inc.)
October 17, 1988... Enjoins CCA's Interco tender ST. LOUIS (FNS) -- The U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, here, has enjoined City Capital Associates L.P. from closing its tender offer for Interco Inc., parent of Florsheim and Converse, pending further orders...

Elliott Schwartz heads Kangaroos. (athletic footwear manufacturer)
October 17, 1988... Elliott Schwartz heads Kangaroos ST. LOUIS -- Elliot Schwartz, former president of the Meldisco division of Melville Corp., Harrison, N.Y., has been named president of Kangaroos USA Inc. Jerome B. Richter, who was president of Kangaroos...

Reebok's '89 ad drive will get technical slant.
October 17, 1988... Reebok's '89 ad drive will get technical slant CANTON, Mass. -- Reebok International Ltd. will ease away from its multi-million dollar image-oriented "Reeboks Let U.B.U." ad campaign next year to focus more on product-specific marketing,...

British look to conquer men's fashion empire. (at British Footwear Fair)
October 17, 1988... British look to conquer men's fashion empire LONDON -- The British are looking to conquer a new empire -- the men's fashion footwear empire. The recent British Footwear Fair, held here, underscored the rapidly growing international...

Leverenz plans to shut New Holstein factory. (Leverenz Shoe Co.)
October 17, 1988... Leverenz plans to shut New Holstein factory SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- The financially strapped Leverenz Shoe Co., after years of shrinking market share, is planning to close one of its two remaining factories and consolidate all operations at its...

Aug. imports up sharply; only 2d time since Jan. (footwear industry)
October 17, 1988... Aug. imports up sharply; only 2d time since Jan. WASHINGTON (FNS) - Nonrubber footwear imports rose sharply in August, only the second month since January when footwear imports did not dip lower, according to trade figures released by the...

Are Osceola's store due bucks for being 'fleeced?' (Osceola Shoe Co. charged for substituting sheepskin for deerskin)
October 17, 1988... Are Osceola's stores due bucks for being `fleeced'? DALLAS -- Customers of Osceola Shoe Co., Osceola, Ark., may be due some money. Malcolm Kelso, chairman and chief executive officer of First General Resources Co., here, parent of Osceola...

Nordstrom's $67 million S.F. unit could be a steal.
October 17, 1988... Nordstrom's $67 million S.F. unit could be a steal SAN FRANCISCO -- Nordstrom opened the doors on its $67 million, 336,000-square-foot store, here, Oct. 7, the eighth store in northern California since 1982. Despite misgivings centering...

Big stores Sept. sales increase 10% from 1987.
October 17, 1988... Big stores Sept. sales increase 10% from 1987 NEW YORK (FNS) -- The dark cloud that has been hanging over a group of 12 of the nation's largest retailers lifted a bit in September, as the average monthly sales increase reached a healthy 10...

Puerto Rico expects footwear industry to strengthen.
October 17, 1988... Puerto Rico expects footwear industry to strengthen NEW YORK -- Puerto Rico said it expects Caribbean economic development programs, a large labor pool, and its status as a commonwealth of the United States to help strengthen its footwear...

Europe athletic makers augment Thai sourcing. (athletic shoe industry)
October 17, 1988... Europe athletic makers augment Thai sourcing HONGKONG (FNS) -- Thailand's low labor costs, skilled workers and a growing infrastructure is causing more U.S. and European athletic footwear manufacturers to set up buying offices and production...

Walkin to buy Kreider's assets. (children's shoe industry)
October 17, 1988... Walkin to buy Kreider's assets SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. (FNS) -- The Walkin Shoe Co., a producer here of Goodyear welt shoes for children since 1887, has reached an agreement in principal to acquire the business of W.L. Kreider's Sons...

AAEI focuses on Harmonized rule queries. (Harmonized Tariff Schedule, footwear import-export trade)
October 17, 1988... AAEI focuses on Harmonized rule queries NEW YORK -- A recent American Association of Exporters & Importers (AAEI) conference here focusing on footwear classification under the soon-to-be-implemented Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the U.S.,...

Wholesale shoe prices up 4.9% in September.
October 17, 1988... Wholesale shoe prices up 4.9% in September WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Wholesale footwear prices in September increased 0.3 percent from August and 4.9 percent from September 1987, the Labor Department reported. Seasonally adjusted, last month's...

Woolworth div. buys assets of 2 German shoe stores.
October 17, 1988... Woolworth div. buys assets of 2 German shoe stores NEW YORK (FNS) -- F.W. Woolworth Co., parent of Kinney Shoe Corp., said its subsidiary, Retail Co. of Germany Inc., has purchased for cash certain assets of two West German specialty footwear...

Back to basics. (athletic shoe design)
October 17, 1988... Back to Basics Simple styling and easy-on-the-eye colors in the spring 1989 athletic footwear line signal a return to basics. Resources view the trend as an opportunity to gain focus focus with their brands. NEW YORK -- This time last year,...

Model strengthens shoe role. (Phillipe Model, costume designer)
October 10, 1988... Model strengthens shoe role NEW YORK -- Phillipe Model, a young (late 20s) designer has been known for his rather spectacular hats. Today, his hats are still special toppings in a haute couture world, but he is also becoming known for his...

Osceola nears brink as former brass is sued. (Osceola Shoe Co.)
October 10, 1988... Osceola nears brink as former brass is sued OSCEOLA, Ark. -- Osceola Shoe Co. was all but shut down last week as owners of the troubled deerskin footwear manufacturer filed a $200 million-plus lawsuit charging former owners and officers of the...

SGMA, NSGA sign accord settling show differences. (Sporting Goods Manufacturers Assoc., National Sporting Goods Assoc.)
October 10, 1988... SGMA, NSGA sign accord settling show differences NEW YORK -- A two-year-long conflict between the two sporting goods trade associations, both of which determine show schedules, and consequently influence the pace of many athletic footwear...

Industry mulls options after quota veto. (textile-apparel trade act)
October 10, 1988... Industry mulls options after quota veto WASHINGTON (FNS) - Exhausted by another two-year fruitless effort, the foot wear industry and congressional leaders last week tried to regroup following the defeat of the footwear quota bill. The...

Interco takes CCA fight to 2 appeals courts.
October 10, 1988... Interco takes CCA fight to 2 appeals courts ST. LOUIS (FNS) -- The web of legal moves in Interco's battle to fight off a $70-a-share hostile tender offer from City Capital Associates (CCA) has spread to appeals courts here and in Mississippi....

Wolverine net gains 45% in third quarter.
October 10, 1988... Wolverine net gains 45% in third quarter ROCKFORD, Mich. -- Earnings at Wolverine World Wide gained 45 percent in the third quarter and 36.1 percent in the nine months ended Sept. 10. Third-quarter earnings climbed to $1,743,000 or 26...

Woburn sparks interest in waterproof leathers. (footwear)
October 10, 1988... Woburn sparks interest in waterproof leathers WOBURN, Mass. -- Although some manufacturers at the New England Leather & Components Show here last week complained that exciting new products were lacking, there was interest in leathers that were...

EEC retail groups call quotas on Far East unfair.
October 10, 1988... EEC retail groups call quotas on Far East unfair BRUSSELS (FNS) -- European Economic Community (EEC) retail organizations contend recent industry demands for import restrictions on Far Eastern footwear are unjustified and unfair. In a...

Shoe exporters call foreign prospects good.
October 10, 1988... Shoe exporters call foreign prospects good WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Successful exporters of U.S.-produced footwear urged other domestic shoe manufacturers to take advantage of overseas sales opportunities at a seminar sponsored here recently by...

Stride Rite net up 43.4% in qtr., 32% in 9 mos.
October 10, 1988... Stride Rite net up 43.4% in qtr., 32% in 9 mos. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Stride Rite Corp.'s earnings climbed 43.4 percent in the third quarter and 32 percent in the nine months ended Aug. 26, in a performance that exceeded Wall Street's...

Court OKs Hills Bros.' sale to catalog house. (First Commonwealth Investment Catalog Company Inc.)
October 10, 1988... Court OKs Hill Bros.' sale to catalog house LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Judge William E. Anderson in Bankruptcy Court last week confirmed the sale of Hill Bros., the mail-order division of Craddock-Terry Shoe Corp., to First Commonwealth Investment...

'87 shoe store productivity declines 1.4%.
October 10, 1988... '87 shoe store productivity declines 1.4% WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Employee productivity in apparel and accessory stores including women's and men's specialty shops, family clothing and shoe stores, declined 4.7 percent in 1987, the Labor Department...

Cornblooms buys Oak Bay stores, triples business. (shoe stores)
October 10, 1988... Cornblooms buys Oak Bay stores, triples business MADISON, Wis. -- More than tripling the size of their business in one fell swoop, Arnold and Sharon Ruben are now up against what could be their greater challenge, integrating a larger and far...

Marienplatz window displays lure Sunday strollers. (Munich)
October 10, 1988... Marienplatz window displays lure Sunday strollers MUNICH -- Virtually no stores are open for business on Sundays in this Bavarian city, but, with the help of crafty retailers, locals have made Sunday shopping a favorite pastime. ...

Edison, Claiborne settle crested footwear dispute. (trademark case)
October 10, 1988... Edison, Claiborne settle crested footwear dispute NEW YORK -- A dispute involving Edison Bros. Stores' use of a crest design similar to the one used by Liz Claiborne Inc. has been settled with a written agreement between the two companies,...

Brendle leaves Puma AG post. (Guenter Brendle)
October 10, 1988... Brendle leaves Puma AG post PARIS (FNS) -- Guenter Brendle, the member of Puma AG's management board responsible for footwear, racquets and other hardware products since 1986, resigned from his position late last week. Brendle said he was...

A 7% decline is posted in 2d quarter imports. (footwear)
October 10, 1988... A 7% decline is posted in 2d quarter imports WASHINGTON (FNS) -- Imports of nonrubber footwear in the second quarter of 1988 declined 7 percent from the second quarter of 1987 to 226 million pairs, according to a report issued recently by the...

Hong Kong welcomes U.S. quota demise. (footwear, textile quotas)
October 10, 1988... Hong Kong welcomes U.S. quota demise HONG KONG (FNS) -- Hong Kong trade officials and shoe manufacturers welcomed last week's failure by the U.S. House of Representatives to override President Reagan's veto of a bill that would limit imports...

Pollini signs Toyota to sell full line in Japan. (Toyota Tsusho Corp., footwear manufacturer)
October 10, 1988... Pollini signs with Toyota to sell full line in Japan MILAN (FNS) -- Pollini S.p.A., the Italian footwear manufacturer, has signed an exclusive distribution contract with Toyota Tsusho Corp. of Japan to sell its entire line of products in the...

As walkers look casual, can dressy be far behind? (FN supplement: Walking Report, includes related article)
October 10, 1988... As walkers look casual, can dressy be far behind? NEW YORK -- Walking, a category that the athletics industry popularized, recently made the leap into the casual shoe market, with signs of penetrating the dress market, as well. In its...