Flemings Comfort Footwear in Tulsa, OK, is as famous for its memorable events—co-hosted by longtime vendor partner Ara Shoes—as it is for its service and selection. For instance, the Euro comfort brand and the family-owned retailer have partnered on a Star Wars–themed May the Fourth be with You event, a Talk like a Pirate Day, and a Shoes Brothers showcase inspired by The Blues Brothers movie.
But when it came time to mark the 40th anniversary of the store, owner Ryan Fleming (above, center) and Ara North America President Sam Spears (above, left) envisioned a more elegant celebration: a pop-up piano concert in the store featuring an original composition by nationally acclaimed pianist Barron Ryan (above, right). The concert would be a special treat for more than 60 of the store’s most loyal customers to thank them for their support.
“Celebrating our 40th year of business was a huge deal to my family, employees, and customers, and we wanted to host an event that was heartfelt and classy,” Fleming explains of the concert, which took place this past fall after almost a year in the making.
“We’ve executed many silly events at Fleming’s that the staff and customers have truly enjoyed, but we wanted a more sophisticated event that reflected the significance of Fleming’s 40th anniversary and Ara’s serious commitment to quality, comfort and the independent retailer,” says Spears.
Barron Ryan, a longtime friend of Ryan Fleming’s and a loyal supporter of his store, naturally accepted the challenge. Blending the theme of gratitude with Ara’s German roots, he drew inspiration from the fairy tale of Cinderella—not the well-known Walt Disney version, but the Brothers Grimm version, Spears explains. In the Grimm story, it is not a fairy godmother but a white dove that comes to Cinderella’s aid.
“Barron composed a beautiful and moving original score that reflects the spirit of the Grimms’ Cinderella being grateful, just as Fleming’s is grateful for their longstanding and loyal customers, grateful for their relationship with Ara, and Ryan is grateful for his relationship with Barron,” Spears explains.
Of course, turning a shoe store into a concert venue is no small feat. It required bringing in a piano, moving shoe shelves, setting up rows of folding chairs, erecting pipe and drape to block the view of the product behind the stage, and installing light and sound equipment. And because Fleming’s was open for business as usual the day of the concert, customers were trying on and buying shoes until show time.
“The store was packed before we were even able to start setting up the stage,” says Spears. Fortunately, customers pitched in to transform the shop into a music venue. “That’s an example of the connection Ryan Fleming has with his customers. Who would think about showing up at a concert and having to arrange your own seat? It’s a fantastic community.”
“There was a palpable feeling of excitement and suspense from the guests beforehand and a sense of wonder at seeing Barron performing in such an intimate venue,” Spears recalls.
The event included a 40-minute set of music that started with American classics, a duet with Fleming—an accomplished musician in his own right—on guitar (below), and pieces by famed German composers Bach and Schuman. An abridged retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Cinderella came next, followed by the world premiere of Barron Ryan’s original composition for the event, which drew a standing ovation from the crowd.
As a final flourish, each attendee received a gold box with a hand-blown white glass dove made by local artist Jonathan Boliver. On the bottom of each dove was a QR code recipients could use to watch a recording of the event
“I could not have asked for a better event or a better response. There were tears of joy and appreciation by all,” says Fleming. “Customers still talk about it. The bottom line is that our customers felt like part of our story and our success.”
Both Fleming and Spears are quick to acknowledge that it took a team to execute the event. “Ryan has the customer fan base and vision, Ara has a strong following of customer fans at Fleming’s, and Barron provided the elegance and sophistication to elevate the event to a first-class level,” Spears says. “These three people coming together and saying, ‘Wonder TRIPLET powers, activate!’ was an opportunity to make 1+1+1 = 11, in the spirit of Nigel Tufnel from Spinal Tap. Each of us brought a different amplifying talent and energy to the project.
“At Ara we support local independent retailers because they are the backbone of the USA,” Spears continues. In keeping with this philosophy, all supplies used for concert came from local independent businesses, from the printed programs to the folding chairs (borrowed from Fleming’s church) to the glass doves.
“Our events with Ara have built into the highlight of the season,” says Fleming. “Having such a strong partnership with Sam and his territory rep, Cherry Shore, has been vital to the growth of the line for our store and for our customers’ unique relationship to the brand.”
The concert video is available here.
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