Stride Rite Plans Store Growth

LEXINGTON, MA-Footwear retailer Stride Rite Corp. is in a growth spurt. The company, which in September acquired Robeeze Footwear Ltd., a global leader in children’s soft-soled leather footwear, added 29 stores to its retail lineup in the fourth quarter of 2006 and says it plans to increase its retail presence by between 5% and 10% in 2007. The 29 new stores reflected a 10% growth from last year, the company says.

The Lexington, MA-based chain, which operates 318 stores, said it also plans to be a major presence in department stores this year, including Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor, and Bloomingdales, as it attempts to improve sales at stores outside its own chain.

“We are back in premier department stores in ways that we’ve never been before,” says David Chamberlain, Stride-Rite’s chairman and CEO. “We’re trying to move the brand up.”