ISSUE SPOTLIGHT: FOOTWEAR & LEATHER SHOE FIRM STEPS UP ITS ACT
An award-winning shoe company is opening new stores and preparing to celebrate its 140th anniversary. This year Barker Shoes has
opened a new concession store in Paris, is revamping its existing stores and is planning to open a new store in Liverpool Street, London, in time for Christmas. The firm has also had lots of
awards success this year at the Northamptonshire Business Awards and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) regional awards and is currently in the running for a
national BCC award. Managing director Alan Pringle
said: “This has been another fantastic year for us. We were delighted to open our first concession store in Paris in February which incorporates both contemporary and modern tastes with a brand new store design located in one of the world’s leading department stores, the iconic Printemps Haussmann. “It has been very well received
and we believe this is a tremendous step for us. “Earlier this year we also
launched our new online outlet to complement our factory store in Northamptonshire and allow Barker Shoes fans to purchase past season, discontinued shoes and samples at discounted prices. “We are also revamping our
existing stores with an intriguing new look and up-dating our website to coincide with this. “In addition, we will open our
new London store in time for Christmas and are already preparing for our 140th anniversary celebrations in 2020. To celebrate our heritage we will be launching an exclusive anniversary collection during our landmark year.”
‘WE ARE ALSO REVAMPING OUR
EXISTING STORES WITH AN
INTRIGUING NEW LOOK AND
UPDATING OUR WEBSITE’
SKILLED HANDS MAKE COMFORTABLE FEET
Crockett & Jones has been manufacturing shoes in Northampton since 1879 and although the production process has evolved since the early days of shoemaking, much of the factory looks just as it did when it was first built. The manufacture of high quality Goodyear welted shoes remains very
labour-intensive, requiring a highly-skilled workforce to carry out more than 200 separate operations during an eight-week period. This method, originated by hand-makers centuries ago, gives the shoes an exceptional degree of strength, durability and comfort in wear. The Goodyear welted process spans several production departments,
each necessitating a multitude of different skills and experiences to ensure the shoes are completed to the firm’s exacting standards. Many of the operations, relying on excellent hand-eye co-ordination, take years to learn and a lifetime to master.
26 inbusiness DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019
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