Sneaker-retailing in superstores is examined by Joseph
Pereira of the WALL STREET JOURNAL under the header, "New
Sneaker Superstores Aim To Step On Their Competition."
Pereira notes, the $15B "sneaker-retailing business is
coming late to single-category superstores, which have
already swept through the toy, home-improvement and office-
supply industries." Edison, NJ-based Sneaker Stadium Inc.
and Pelham, AL-based Just For Feet Inc., its major
competitor, are on an "expansion binge, and discounting
isn't part of their formulas." The companies are counting
on a "high-level of service and attractions," including
tryout tracks, shoe-testing games and pinball machines to
transform the stores into "shopping destinations." Sneaker
Stadium has 23 outlets, and it plans to spend $80M over the
next two years to add 53 more, primarily on the East Coast.
Just For Feet "expects" to expand its chain from 45 to 64
stores by January '98 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/19).
TV TIME: Dallas-based Footaction USA will start selling
ad time for its TV monitors currently in 430 of the chain's
480 stores nationwide. NY-based Griffin Bacal Promotions
will help sell the :30-second spots, which will be blocked
together in three two-minute segments, and inserted between
three 20-minute segments of music videos (Footaction USA).
