Footwear brands and retailers big and small are adding to their reach by opening new stores.
Freebird continues to expand its cross-country retail footprint. The Denver brand, known for its cowboy-style leather boots, has opened three new stores in Charleston, S.C., Las Vegas and San Antonio, Texas. Freebird now has 10 stores, with locations in Utah, Tennessee, Massachusetts and Colorado. The company opened its first East Coast store in Boston in May.
The 13-year-old brand’s Western styling shows up in Goodyear-welted boots featuring metalwork, multi-strap silhouettes, exotic materials and full-grain leathers. Vice president Teagan Coym said that Freebird’s core values of freedom, individuality and independence contribute to its signature aesthetic.
Freebird marked the Charleston opening with a store event and giveaway last week, with a similar experience planned for San Antonio Thursday.
Meanwhile, Nashville footwear and apparel brand Savas, which sells bespoke leather boots, accessories and jackets, is also branching out from its home base, opening its first retail location outside of Tennessee this month.
Created by designer Savannah Yarborough, the custom-focused label is selling ready-to-wear at its new Los Angeles store. The brand’s second retail store will be split between a boutique that feature shoes, outerwear, accessories and handbags for men and women, and an atelier offering custom tailoring services.
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Savas’ signature footwear style is its unisex Legend mid-calf boot, a rugged design made to be worn with denim. Its leather outerwear styles range from short moto jackets to long, belted trenches featuring “a traditional American aesthetic mixed with old-world craftsmanship,” and range in price from $3,200 to $3,800.
Academy Sports + Outdoors also opened a new store Tuesday with its first location in Lexington, Ky. The Texas sporting goods retailer recently opened locations in Florida, Virginia and Georgia en route to 100 stores over the next five years.
The 80,000-foot Lexington store will hold opening events from Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with appearances from local athletes including University of Kentucky basketball alumnus and former Phoenix Suns player Kyle Macy and men’s basketball player Cason Wallace.
The new store is also selling a selection of University of Kentucky Athletics licensed Wildcat apparel and novelty game-day products.