June saw Van Dal open its first stand store in Cardiff’s boutique shopping area, the Royal Arcade.
The concept, launched as ‘Van Dal & Co’, will retail the brands collection including styles made in their Norwich factory, along with a selection of well known brands featuring the likes of Pikolinos, Vionic, Gabor, Josef Seibel and Marc.
“Despite retail volatility in the UK, we saw a real opportunity to expand in the high street environment and bring our products direct to customers. Cardiff is a great location in which to trial this concept and we’re very much looking to building on this in the future.” says Steve Ryrie, Commercial Director.
The design is fresh and modern with a light industrial feel. Alluding to Van Dal’s UK manufacturing heritage, they’ve been shoemaking in Norwich since 1936, it also delivers a clean neutrality to best showcase a number of brands.
Fully integrated with the Van Dal website the shopping experience will offer features such as an integrated loyalty program and order tracking, live stock visibility and the ability to shop for lines not available in store.
In what is hoped to be the first of many Van Dal Marketing Director, Jason Larke, said, “The high street is increasingly dominated by mono-brand stores but with Van Dal as the anchor we also bring a portfolio of other well known and trusted names direct to the consumer. “
Larke added, “It’s hugely exciting, the store represents the first step for us in developing a single view multi-channel model, we’re invested in the technology and will build from here.”
Store address:
Van Dal Shoes, 18 Royal Arcade,
Cardiff, South Glamorgan. CF10 1AE
www.vandalshoes.com
