Bill Gardner opened a new Red Wing Shoes location outside of Charlottesville. Photos courtesy of Red Wing Shoes.
The local owner of a shoe store chain is expanding his footprint west.
Bill Gardner, who owns the three Red Wing Shoes stores in the Richmond area, has opened a new shop in Rivana, just outside Charlottesville city limits. It opened this month at 1926 Abbey Road in a 2,100-square-foot space near Pantops Shopping Center.
Gardner is an independent seller of Red Wing footwear, a century-old, Minnesota-based brand known for its work boots. His father and grandfather opened the family’s first Red Wing store in Midlothian in 1986. Stores on Brook Road and in Chester followed in 1999 and 2007, respectively.
Gardner, 34, now owns the business, along with two mobile operations and Gardner’s Shoes next door to the Red Wing store in Midlothian. He said expanding toward Charlottesville was attractive because many of his customers come from that area, and it’s close to his existing stores in Richmond.
“We’re still very hands-on as far as the operation of our stores,” Gardner said. “We like to be there.”
Gardner’s stores now employ 22 workers, some of whom have been with his family’s operation for 20 years. He would not say how much it cost to open the Charlottesville-area location but said the expansion was self-financed and had help from Wells Fargo.
Much of Red Wing’s business comes from work boot sales.
As an independent seller of Red Wing shoes, Gardner said the only money he sends the company is for the purchase of his inventory. He said the bulk of his sales come from work boots that sell for about $200 a pair. Red Wing boots range between $80 and $400.
Gardner said work boot sales are tied to the health of the economy.
“Our business is literally geared toward industry,” Gardner said. “It’s not been easy by any stretch of the imagination.”
Gardner said sales peak during the first half of the year as the seasons change.
“When the weather breaks, it makes people think about footwear,” Gardner said.
Gardner said depending on the store and the season, he considers a good day selling between about 15 and 40 pairs of shoes.
Competing with online retailers and stores like Walmart is a challenge. Gardner said he relies on customer service to set his operation apart. The shop also offers free monthly repairs for life on the shoes it sells and does customized orthopedic work.
“We’re a people business first and a shoe business second,” Gardner said. “We just try to do it one pair at a time.”
There are 400 Red Wing stores in the U.S., including 10 in Virginia. The company today sells both American-made footwear and items made overseas.
Bill Gardner opened a new Red Wing Shoes location outside of Charlottesville. Photos courtesy of Red Wing Shoes.
The local owner of a shoe store chain is expanding his footprint west.
Bill Gardner, who owns the three Red Wing Shoes stores in the Richmond area, has opened a new shop in Rivana, just outside Charlottesville city limits. It opened this month at 1926 Abbey Road in a 2,100-square-foot space near Pantops Shopping Center.
Gardner is an independent seller of Red Wing footwear, a century-old, Minnesota-based brand known for its work boots. His father and grandfather opened the family’s first Red Wing store in Midlothian in 1986. Stores on Brook Road and in Chester followed in 1999 and 2007, respectively.
Gardner, 34, now owns the business, along with two mobile operations and Gardner’s Shoes next door to the Red Wing store in Midlothian. He said expanding toward Charlottesville was attractive because many of his customers come from that area, and it’s close to his existing stores in Richmond.
“We’re still very hands-on as far as the operation of our stores,” Gardner said. “We like to be there.”
Gardner’s stores now employ 22 workers, some of whom have been with his family’s operation for 20 years. He would not say how much it cost to open the Charlottesville-area location but said the expansion was self-financed and had help from Wells Fargo.
Much of Red Wing’s business comes from work boot sales.
As an independent seller of Red Wing shoes, Gardner said the only money he sends the company is for the purchase of his inventory. He said the bulk of his sales come from work boots that sell for about $200 a pair. Red Wing boots range between $80 and $400.
Gardner said work boot sales are tied to the health of the economy.
“Our business is literally geared toward industry,” Gardner said. “It’s not been easy by any stretch of the imagination.”
Gardner said sales peak during the first half of the year as the seasons change.
“When the weather breaks, it makes people think about footwear,” Gardner said.
Gardner said depending on the store and the season, he considers a good day selling between about 15 and 40 pairs of shoes.
Competing with online retailers and stores like Walmart is a challenge. Gardner said he relies on customer service to set his operation apart. The shop also offers free monthly repairs for life on the shoes it sells and does customized orthopedic work.
“We’re a people business first and a shoe business second,” Gardner said. “We just try to do it one pair at a time.”
There are 400 Red Wing stores in the U.S., including 10 in Virginia. The company today sells both American-made footwear and items made overseas.