A President's choice

US Presidents right from Abraham Lincoln to the incumbent Barack Obama share one retail experience in common -  they all buy their shoes from the iconic Nashville headquartered Johnston & Murphy stores. This brand is part of Genesco, and with more than 150 outlets across the US, Canada and the UK, it is often regarded as the epitome of workmanship and ‘American style’.

And, to continue this tradition, this global icon recently launched its exclusive store at the fashionable Linking Road, Khar (W), Mumbai, in partnership with Elite Group of Companies, and the range of footwear and allied products offered will be imported from authorised vendors, globally.

Store Design

This store in Mumbai is spread across 750 sq ft, and the store designer - IDX Design Studio has attempted to continue the American “legacy” at this outlet, too. As part of that strategy, all fixtures and allied visual merchandising tools have been imported from the US, and ‘heritage frames’ in this store also illustrate this brand’s well known customers.

In addition, high-end consumers can easily view the portrait of the current US President and the shoes from this brand that he has selected. Three-fifth of the store space is allocated for footwear, and the remainder is allocated for branded accessories including belts, shirts and socks, amongst others. In-store staff has also been trained to provide personalised services and advice customers, as and when required.

Expansion plans

The Indian partner - Elite Group of Companies plan to open an additional 15 exclusive retail stores for this US-based brand over the next five years, along with a presence in over 100 multi-brand footwear stores and 50 shop-in-shop. As part of this strategy, an exclusive store in New Delhi is expected to open shortly, followed by other metro cities on a pan India basis.