It’s been a couple of weeks since we heard from our visual merchandising pro Linda Cahan, but well worth the wait! I would love to see her in action. I am thinking she should have a “makeover shoe store” show on Bravo or something. I hope you appreciate these great tips and all you retailers out there should walk into your store tomorrow and see how you can put some of her advice to use. Thanks Linda!!

Working it Like the Big Guys-When I think about shopping for shoes I head to Nordstroms. I can’t help it – they have a great selection. Although I’ve bought a few pairs there since I moved to Oregon from Connecticut, my main source for shoes remains independent shoe stores that I discover as I’m walking down the street or, company run stores with lasts that work for my picky retail feet.

What the big guys do that works for me is the range of selection plus the ability to find my size in one of their other stores. That’s a biggie. It’s tough enough to find a shoe that fits, is comfortable and doesn’t look like it’s hauling people from Cuba to Miami. When I find that miracle shoe and the store is out of my size the level of my disappointment is completely out of proportion to life’s greater issues.

If an independent store can work out an arrangement with their vendors for expedited special orders and, the sales staff is made aware that this isn’t the chore of the century, the only reason to shop at a big department store is for the large selection.

Generally the large stores have attractive departments that some independent retailers can learn from.

#1 – Your shoe store is not your living room unless your living room was just featured in Architectural Digest.

#2 – Stick with a color scheme. Pick out a palette and apply those 3-4 colors (including one or two neutrals) through out your store. Pick out a metal finish and use that wherever metal is needed. Be consistent with your colors, finishes and material selections.

#3 – The walls above the shoes require art or some form of visual entertainment. Check out www.acedesigns.com for some great stock images or, send them your photos and they will blow them up, print them on canvas and then frame them beautifully. Other firms will do the same – but I’ve worked with Ace before and like them.

Some other ideas of wall entertainment include seasonal displays using flowers, leaves, snowflakes, etc. While those may sound overdone and clichéd, it’s how they are presented that makes a difference.  The photo below is from Bloomingdales in San Francisco. The use of the sunflower “heads” hot-glued onto the wall is anything but a cliché!

Some other ideas for above the shoes include: natural colored Chinese umbrellas, white flocked branches with sparkling snowflakes and small pine trees lined up – but with tiny white lights if possible.

One fun idea is to take a bunch of old shoes that will never be worn again and glue them to a rigid board (like masonite.) Once all the shoes are in place either spray paint or use a paint brush to paint the entire “bas-relief sculpture” one color. If you can, frame it or at least make sure the edges look clean and mount it on the wall. Dust it whether you think it needs it or not no less than very 3 months.

One thing that department stores have that you may not is a visual merchandising team.

Be your own VM manager and creatively borrow great ideas from the big guys but make them your own through your own imaginative style.

Please let me see your great ideas! lindacahan@gmail.com