Schuler Shoes Celebrates 125 Years!

Minnesota’s own Schuler Shoes, the footwear retailer known for the care it takes in properly fitting shoes, is pleased to celebrate its 125th anniversary as a family-owned business. And the company has much to celebrate. Over the past 125 years, it has grown from one store to nine (with a tenth on the way), from one employee to 218, and from one brand of shoes to more than 100. It has increased annual revenues to more than $40 million. And it has fitted an estimated five million soles.

“We are honored and humbled to be celebrating this significant milestone, to know that we’ve brought joy to so many people with our personal service and care, and to feel so connected to our customers and our communities,” said John Schuler, owner of Schuler Shoes. “We look forward to another 125 years of growing our business in this great state of Minnesota and know that our success wouldn’t be possible without the tireless dedication of our staff and the loyal support of our customers.”

What is today known as Schuler Shoes was founded in 1889 in Minneapolis, shortly after Vincent Schuler, a shoe repairman from Austria, came to America to pursue the American dream and opened V. Schuler Boots & Shoes. In 1925, Vincent sold the store to Otto Schuler and Marie Schuler, his nephew and niece. Their brother Emmet joined them in the business a few years later. In 1960, Emmet’s son John, quoted above, started working in the family business and, in 1973, he purchased the business, which by then included six stores. Today, John’s wife, Nancy, and their four children, Jennifer, Michael, Marie, and Scott, are all involved in day-to-day operations at Schuler Shoes.

“It’s really quite exceptional to be a fourth-generation family business in this day and age,” said John, who noted that there are only a handful of other companies in Minnesota that can make the same claim.

In anticipation of its anniversary, in August, Schuler Shoes began rolling out an updated brand identity. The refreshed look is designed to convey the brand’s vision for the future as well as the core values the company was built upon, including kindness, respect, forgiveness, and trust. Updated brand assets include a new logo and graphic system, which have been applied to everything from the company’s shopping bags, business cards and name tags to its website, truck wraps and advertisements. The company is also in the process of installing new exterior signage at all nine of its stores.

To celebrate its anniversary, over the course of the next 12 months, customers can enjoy a number of special promotions and events, including Teacher Appreciation Week sponsored by Cobb Hill, a fashion show sponsored by Clarks, as well as prizes and giveaways. To learn more, visit schulershoes.com

About Schuler Shoes

Over the past 125 years, Maple Grove, Minnesota-based Schuler Shoes has honed its craft of fitting comfortably stylish footwear to each foot that comes through its doors. From St. Cloud to its eight Twin Cities metro locations, Schuler’s stores are staffed with knowledgeable consultants who identify customers’ unique needs and properly fit them into the best footwear for comfort. Schuler’s sit-and-fit philosophy is a customer service practice that continues to set it apart from other shoe retailers. For more information, please www.schulershoes.com.

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