Stride Rite Opens New Children’s Concept

The Stride Rite Corp. (Lexington, Mass.) will launch a new store format, Collections by Stride Rite, which combines separate, dedicated shopping areas for kids seven to ten years of age, with an environment for parents to shop for baby and toddler shoes.

The 1800-square-foot store, from the company’s children’s group, will open today at Third Avenue and 87th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Stride Rite said it has plans to roll out similar stores later this year in select high-fashion shopping locations.

The retailer said the new store, designed by Bergmeyer Associates (Boston), “redefines children's shoe shopping with special environments well-suited for parents shopping with and for babies, toddlers and younger kids, coupled with a newly designed area for youth offering a fun, inspiring and convenient one-stop shopping for children's footwear.”

The dedicated shopping environment for youth at the front of the store will be colorful and bright and carry the company’s high-profile children’s brand lines from Saucony, Sperry Top-Sider, Tommy Hilfiger and Keds, plus special Airwalk signature lines by Andy Mac and Anastasia Ashley.

Further back in the store, says Stride Rite, the environment transitions to a softer atmosphere for babies and toddlers.

“Collections by Stride Rite recognizes the significant range of branded products we now carry in our stores for children zero to 10 years old,” said Pam Salkovitz, president of the Stride Rite children's group. “The new store format is tailored to the different shopping needs of parents with babies and toddlers from that of youth up to 10 years old. We have created a front of store area dedicated to youth and a shopping area tailored to baby shoe- shopping in the back of the store. We believe this offers a fabulous and convenient shopping experience tailored to the needs of growing families.”