A full house is once again expected at The Atlanta Shoe Market next month where attendees will get down to business on the Spring/Summer ’26 buying season.
Like millions of Americans, Laura Conwell-O’Brien, long-time director of The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM), has experienced the trade war’s negative impact on daily life. In her case, a terrifying car accident last month resulted in a two-month wait for a new car. Conwell-O’Brien was told by her dealer that the normal flow of new cars had slowed dramatically, and as a result, there were only six models of the car she wanted in the country—and they were all spoken for. Having survived a near-death experience (all 10 airbags went off simultaneously) when a car exiting a shopping center lot rammed into her passenger side, Conwell-O’Brien wanted the same exact Lexus RX 350—the one with the panoramic roof, the pearl/macadamia interior, and the “incredible” safety features that, for the second time, saved her life.
“I had a check in hand,” Conwell-O’Brien says. “I’ve been a customer of that dealer for 24 years, and I never thought there’d be an at least eight-week wait on getting a new car.”
Call it the trade war trickle. Supply chains across all industries are drying up. The product shortages, along with higher prices, are expected to increase as the war slogs on. With nearly 60 percent of all shoes imported into the U.S. coming from China, the footwear industry is primed for major disruption. While that is shifting elsewhere, it takes time to find and establish new sourcing partners—a process not made easier as nearly the entire world has been slapped with tariff hikes of various amounts. It’s a perfect storm of uncertainty involving swirling winds of where to source, gauging what prices might be, and whether goods will even be shipped, let alone on time. In fact, a big takeaway from the FFANY/FSNYE show in New York last month was the frequent shrug of the shoulders on how to best navigate all this turmoil.
While understandable, it’s not a solution. Shoes wear out, kids grow, and seasons change. There are billions in U.S. sales up for grabs to those who can deliver the goods. TASM (Aug. 9-11) will be a stage for how retailers and wholesalers are going about just that. On that note, Conwell-O’Brien expects a full house. Other than a few international exhibitors who’ve pulled out, the halls and meeting rooms are sold out and the 5,000 blocked hotel rooms are booked. TASM looks to be business as usual, albeit amid quite unusual circumstances, she reports.
That’s how Mark Jubelirer, president of Reyers sees it. “Reyers is approaching the Atlanta show just as we have the hundreds of other shows we’ve attended over the decades,” he says of the Niles, OH, family store. “We’ll be on the lookout for the product that has always made us successful: high quality, great fit and comfort, and a fair value.” That said, the current chaos is affecting Reyers’ strategy. “We may hold back a little, as we feel that quarters three and four of this year may yield less than favorable results in terms of sales,” he says. “Our initials won’t be noticeably lower; we may place more backups.”
Adam Beck, CEO of Beck’s Shoes, now a 25-store chain spread out over six western states, is approaching the Atlanta show with similar caution. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world, so we’re trying to be as pragmatic as best we can,” he says. “For example, we’re not sending the usual eight people. It’s me, our COO, our VP of merchandising, and one of our buyers who will divide and conquer the show.” A key focus, Beck says, will be searching for new brands and particular styles that add that extra spark to the overall selection. “It might be a certain silhouette or color that’s a big pull for that particular community, and we’ll go three to four sizes and back it up with 12 pairs on each, which doesn’t sound like a lot overall, but those niche add-ons can really add up,” he explains, adding that it’s also a way to get a customer to buy a second and third pair. That has become increasingly difficult of late. “It’s not as easy as three years ago, but you have to give customers walking into your store a reason to buy,” Beck says. “So we’re being very strategic—like with L’Artiste’s hand-painted styles. Those are very unique and niche-y. It might not move the needle in a big way, but something like that can be an extra 500 to 1,000 pairs at the end of a season.”
Marty Rose, distributor of All Black, is heading to Atlanta with conservative expectations. “We’re expecting fewer orders, or smaller orders, for Spring ’26 because customers will wait until they know more information about tariffs and pricing before ordering,” he says. “Thus, more follow-up will be needed to finalize orders as more news becomes available.” Rose, though, is prepared for increased interest in its Fall ’25 stock amid expected inventory shortages of other brands. “For available U.S. stock we aren’t increasing prices and for case packs the increase is no more than 10 percent, even if the tariff and freight warrant higher increases,” he says. “All Black is ready to pick up the available business because we can deliver.”
From an assortment viewpoint, Rose says All Black is again being conservative. Think proven constructions with updates and less edgy, fast styles. “In times like this, retailers want newness but don’t want risk,” he says. “They’re looking for styles that have a track record.” All Black’s Spring ’26 collection will offer a balance of dressy and casual styles as well as fashion sneakers. “We’re continuing to develop the fisherman trend in fresh ways, and we believe the gladiator trend is returning in more fashionable, practical interpretations,” he says. “In dress, the kitten heel is still the focus along with dressed-up sandals.” The collection, Rose notes, is made in “more tariff-friendly” Taiwan and parent company, ACL Footwear, is also expanding relationships with associate factories in Spain, Turkey, Italy, and other countries to increase production and offer competitive price points.
James Rowley, CEO of Woolloomooloo, is focusing on flexibility in Atlanta. It’s about being easy to work with. “We stock key items, don’t demand heavy upfront minimums, and offer easy reorders through our B2B system,” he says, noting that the brand is sourced 100 percent in Vietnam. “And with a lot of uncertainty about the economy’s future, we’re offering pre-book discounts in an effort to share the risk of putting pen to paper for Spring ’26.” Rowley, a former retailer, understands that such a chaotic environment leans to more conservative buying. Thus, the expectation that “sure bets will reign supreme over the search for newness.”
Flexibility at the Atlanta show will also be a primary focus for Tradehome Shoes, according to Justin Kehrwald, president and CEO. The fact is at 130-plus stores and about 75 brands, it’s not possible to have an across-the-board strategy as companies are responding to the trade war in their own ways. A key focus will be finding regional pilot programs. “As we’ve expanded our geographical footprint, we’ve prioritized regional assortments,” he says. “Our goal at this show is to find two or three new brands or product initiatives that we’re excited to beta. What’s next!”
Kitty Bolinger, president of Dansko, will also focus on being flexible at the show. “We’ll provide newness that we know the consumer craves plus updates on core product in case she’s playing it safe,” she says, adding that the plan is to remain consistent with retailer expectations. They, however, are volatile right now. “While we’ve taken the necessary steps to protect our company based on what we currently know, the disruption that has had the most impact is retailers’ and consumers’ fears and uncertainties,” Bolinger says. Those don’t seem to be abating any time soon.
Indeed, the trade war is taxing, and that’s beyond it being essentially a tax. “We’re exhausted from the run around and the extra work needed to adjust pricing, production, and shipping schedules,” All Black’s Rose says. “And reorders are very slow and behind a year ago—retailers are satisfied to sell out of a style rather than replace good sellers and possibly end up holding goods.” Kehrwald concurs on the added busy work and negative impact on overall buys. “If/when brands pivot their wholesale pricing, it directly affects the quantities we can bring in,” he says, noting that several key vendors have raised both wholesale and retail prices. “There have been some changes to initial margin numbers, which isn’t great.”
Often the best approach amid times of uncertainty is to focus on the controllables. For Beck’s Shoes that’s doubling down on making the shopping experience enjoyable and fruitful as possible. “You only get one chance to make a first impression in soft goods retailing, so we’re doing our best to elevate that in-store experience with a wow factor, which spans a warm greeting from our clerks to great merchandise,” Beck says. “Let’s create a memorable 30- to 60-minute experience that might also help customers forget for a bit all the craziness going on in the world. Why not enjoy a little retail therapy?”
That’s Conwell-O’Brien’s premise for TASM. “Our job is to create an upbeat ambiance and make the show as easy to navigate as possible,” she says Conwell-O’Brien believes that attending the show amid times uncertainty is even more important. “You need to meet face-to-face with current and potential new customers to establish plans on how best to move forward amid such turmoil. Even if it’s only for a day, you’ll see it all firsthand and understand better what’s going on in the industry.” Conwell-O’Brien adds, “Why not figure out together the best way to move forward.” •
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