Shoe Carnival plans new, smaller concept store

Shoe Carnival is planning to open smaller stores to leverage untapped markets in smaller communities, as well as the company's omnichannel capabilities.



The new format will be approximately 5,000 square feet, or half the size of a current Shoe Carnival store.Its current stores average about 10,000 square feet, and carry more than 28,000 pairs of shoes. The company did not identify cities suited for the new concept.



“We believe there is a tremendous, untapped opportunity to expand into new and fill-in existing markets with a complementary, smaller store concept. This will provide consumers in local communities with a convenient shopping experience that builds upon Shoe Carnival’s strong track record of delivering moderately priced, branded footwear for the entire family. Our team is excited about the development of a smaller store format that will leverage our strong brand relationships and multi-channel presence. These new stores, combined with our Shoes 2 U initiative, which is our next step in creating an endless aisle experience, will give consumers in smaller markets greater accessibility to footwear than ever before with the ability to shop the full assortment of shoes available across all of our Shoe Carnival stores. We look forward to sharing more details about this exciting new venture in the coming months,” said Cliff Sifford, president and CEO.



Shoe Carnival’s real-estate team is currently working with landlords and expects to begin opening small-market stores in the next six to nine months, followed by consistent expansion over the next several years.



Shoe Carnival operates 402 stores in 34 states and Puerto Rico.