National mall footwear giant closes 82 stores as shoppers trade up
Key takeaways
- One of America's historic footwear giant is actually betting on higher-priced products, and closing stores at your local malls.
- Stiff dress shoes have been replaced by versatile comfort, according to the US Men’s and Women’s Footwear Market Report.
- Today, legacy retailers face intense pressure from tariffs, inflation, and shifting consumer preferences.
National mall footwear giant closes 82 stores as shoppers trade up Nina Zdinjak Tue, June 9, 2026 at 11:07 PM GMT+7 6 min read CAL If you think inflation means stores are dropping prices to win consumers back, think again. One of America's historic footwear giant is actually betting on higher-priced products, and closing stores at your local malls.
The way we buy shoes has radically transformed. Stiff dress shoes have been replaced by versatile comfort, according to the US Men’s and Women’s Footwear Market Report. But keeping up with changing fashion trends is no longer the hardest part of the game.
Today, legacy retailers face intense pressure from tariffs, inflation, and shifting consumer preferences. As McKinsey and Company’s The State of Fashion 2026 report notes, new US tariffs have completely "redrawn trade maps," forcing brands to rapidly reconstruct supply chains on the fly.