Article: SOUTHERN COMFORT; BIRMINGHAM'S THE SHOE INN IS A "HOLE-IN-THE-WALL" COMFORT RETAILER THAT OFFERS PERSONALIZED SERVICES AND AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION.

When successful retailers are asked why they've done so well, their response almost always has to do with personal service. So it was no surprise when Stuart Budoff, owner of The Shoe Inn, in Birmingham, Ala., said the same thing. But personal service can encompass all kinds of gestures, from offering customers snacks to setting aside new items for regulars. In the case of The Shoe Inn, it comes down to product knowledge and to buying wide and deep sizes to accommodate all customers.

Realizing that he could never keep up with department or chain stores, Budoff went after overlooked markets such as bridal, orthotics, evening, and, his biggest niche, European ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!