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Is there a market for high-end shoes in Toronto?

post #1 of 140
1/24/10 at 9:34pm
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone,

After building a serious collection of fine, well-constructed dress shoes from the B&S Forum, I decided to spend an afternoon shopping for shoes in downtown Toronto. As I'm sure many of you fellow Torontonians could have guessed, the venture was less than successful. Other than Church's at Clarks, horrendously over-priced John Lobb's at Holts and Allen Edmonds at Harry's, there wasn't much in the light of truly well-made shoes. The friendly salesman at Holts told me that their simply wasn't much demand for British shoes as the market was moving more towards high fashion. Even older conservative men are apparently favouring pointy Prada's over classic EGs.

That being said, is there a market for a high-end shoe store in Toronto that sells the likes of Aldens, Edward Greens, Marteganis, Rider Boots, Barker Blacks, etc.? or is the market that appreciates these luxuries too small to sustain such a niche?

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Florian
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post #2 of 140
1/24/10 at 9:41pm
As a Torontonian, I share your pain. I don't think a sufficiently large market exists for these brands in Toronto. If it did, you would think the economically-minded people at Holt's and Harry's would have introduced them by now. They would definitely be overpriced, but as you mentioned, so are the Lobbs and Barker Blacks at Holt's. The relatively small number of people who appreciate these sorts of shoes (like our Toronto-based SF members) are generally resourceful enough to acquire them through other means (whether through SF, Plal, Pediwear and other internet retailers) and wouldn't likely buy them at Holt's or Harry's even if they carried them due to over-inflated markups.
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post #3 of 140
1/24/10 at 9:48pm
There is a store in Montreal that carries EG. I recall a fellow member had approached Larry Rosen and tried to persuade him to carry EG, but Larry didn't think there is a market for high-end shoes. If we are lucky to see any of the high end names, their prices are likely twice of what you will pay in the U.S. or U.K.
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post #4 of 140
1/24/10 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Omega Man View Post
There is a store in Montreal that carries EG.

L'Uomo is the store in Montreal you're referring to, a gem of a shop, right across the street from the Harry Rosen flagship.

http://luomo-montreal.com/introa.php

I've had discussions with numerous senior sales reps at Harry's about carrying more English makers with no luck. They added a few more high-end clothing labels (and stocked more of some others) when they redid the Bloor store, but actually watered down their shoe offering - very disappointing.
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post #5 of 140
1/24/10 at 11:53pm
Rego has some decent selection but yes, you are correct, it's difficult to get high quality. The US isn't too far to travel.
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post #6 of 140
1/25/10 at 12:39am
Does the Toronto Brooks Brothers carry a full line of shoes? I havent been there to check it out. I did see some corrected grain loakes at the Bay for around $400
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post #7 of 140
1/25/10 at 12:49am
There would only be a small market to try on high-end shoes, imo. With sources in the US and overseas providing very competitive prices, Canadian prices definitely lag behind. Why pay $600+ easily for Church's or $500 for AEs when you can get them for less than $500 and $300, respectively.
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post #8 of 140
1/25/10 at 12:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by osc View Post
There would only be a small market to try on high-end shoes, imo. With sources in the US and overseas providing very competitive prices, Canadian prices definitely lag behind. Why pay $600+ easily for Church's or $500 for AEs when you can get them for less than $500 and $300, respectively.
Because at that price point, the target demographic shouldn't care that much.
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post #9 of 140
1/25/10 at 1:37am
Somebody should start a shoe store in Toronto. Who says it needs to be overpriced? I don't think it is an import tax issue. Harry Rosen should just carry a few pairs and see what happens. Of course there is no market if they are priced higher than it costs to buy the same shoes from the US and have them shipped in. I found some nice boots at David's Shoes that have 3 locations in T.O., I think. I get compliments on them every day I wear them, and would buy again in another colour if they still carried it. Most of David's 'classic'-style shoes are Hugo Boss (nothing special). Maybe convince David's to carry better shoes.
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post #10 of 140
1/25/10 at 1:41am
I'm curious. Who do you think the market is for high end shoes? Do you honestly think these people are that worried about the price? Not saying they wouldn't mind lower prices but it's not exactly a market that puts price first.
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post #11 of 140
1/25/10 at 1:53am
Not everyone who has good taste likes to burn money. I'd say 1% of men burn money for fun, but not many if these men care much for good shoes. About 90% of men have at one time both shopped for clothes/shoes and looked at the price tag in considering the purchase. A small percentage of those might care for good shoes, but I doubt they all fit into the burn money category.
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post #12 of 140
1/25/10 at 1:57am
My great-uncle owned a shoe store in small-town Alberta in the middle part of the last century. I assume from talking with my grandfather (now 95) that he carried some quality goods. Unfortunately somewhere along the line (maybe when we stopped going to church), Canadians forgot how to wear white-collar clothing for the most-part. Even in the financial industry I see mostly rubber soled shoes from The Bay or even Aldo more than a proper shoe. Donald Pliner and Cole Haan are almost as good as it gets. I've worked enough in Toronto to know it's a similar situation to the west coast.
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post #13 of 140
1/25/10 at 2:17am
Could the unpredictable weather have something do with it? If it's not snowing it's raining, and the paths are often a mess.

Funny you should mention a lack of good shoe stores. While at The Bay I was browsing through some of their shirts. I looked up and saw a young man who was looking pretty dapper. It's rare that you see people who look like they are putting effort into their clothing in Toronto, let alone at a mall. The top half would have been SF approved.

Then I looked down at his shoes. His pointy, square toed, cheap leather, black shoes. Such a shame. He was so close.
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post #14 of 140
1/25/10 at 2:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by intent View Post
Because at that price point, the target demographic shouldn't care that much.

You fail at marketing.
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post #15 of 140
1/25/10 at 2:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by intent View Post
Because at that price point, the target demographic shouldn't care that much.

For the target demographic that doesn't care price, it's because they are shopping elsewhere either in relatively near places like NYC or in UK/Paris/etc on their semi-annual vacations.
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