Following a torrid time on the UK’s Highstreets over the last 18 months, there is some positive news for Nottingham’s oldest shopping centre, as The Exchange announces the opening of premium footwear brand, Loake Shoemakers.
Loake’s arrival is one of a number of new openings in the arcade over the autumn, including Dunkin’ Donuts who are scheduled to open at the end of October.
Richard Utting, General Sales Manager, Loake Shoemakers commented, “Loake Shoemakers are very excited to be opening one of our prestigious shoe stores in Nottingham, a location that has been on our target list for a long time. I have a particular connection with the city as it is where I went to university and also started my career in footwear, so it feels a little like coming home! Darren and his team, Krysztof, Ria and Talitha are looking forward to welcoming you to the store and introducing you to the Loake range of finest men’s footwear and accessories.”
Tim Harries, of Tim Harries & Partners, property agents for The Exchange added, “The last 18 months have been incredibly challenging for retailers and landlords, so it’s especially pleasing to have two new stores open in The Exchange within a few weeks of each other. Loake open their first Nottingham store in The Exchange, and are an excellent fit for the centre, and an ideal complement to the existing stores.”
Loake is a truly authentic British brand, having made footwear for British soldiers and officers in two World Wars. They have also produced some iconic designs that have become synonymous with British youth culture, such as the Brighton loafer and Royal brogue, which were first introduced in the 1970s and are still in production today.
Loake are also famed for their Goodyear welted construction, a traditional and intricate process with origins that can be traced back over 300 years. A pair of Loake Goodyear welted shoes takes eight weeks to produce, with over 200 different operations involved. Loake estimate that over 50 million pairs of Goodyear welted shoes have been produced since they began.
Loake Shoemakers are now open at 9, The Exchange