BREAKING NEWS: Allen Edmonds Being Bought by Brentwood Associates

[Deleted member 16736]

Luckily, it's another private equity firm and not Men's Wearhouse. The current CEO is staying on. Here's the article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2013/11/04/allen-edmonds-to-be-sold-to-private.html

 

[Feraud]

That is great news. I hate to think where quality would have headed in the hands of Men's Wearhouse.

 

[Tomasso]

Yeah, MW's involvement was not encouraging.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

The problem with such firms owning companies is that they are only intereseted in making money. An not in making a product. Know this as the company I work at is finally back in the hands of a company that deals in producting products and not money.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

The problem with such firms owning companies is that they are only intereseted in making money. An not in making a product. Know this as the company I work at is finally back in the hands of a company that deals in producting products and not money.

AE is growing sales and the customers seem happy. I'll take it.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

We shall see I have spent 10 years under such ownership. Thank god no more.

 

[John J]

I am an AE customer,

I'm happy they are hanging in there But who knows what direction things will go. The Asian market is boosting their sales quite a bit and Im wondering if that is tipping the scale ?? wondering how sales are to USA buyers.

I hope they keep building shoes in USA in the classic styles. Though many of their More casual styles and a few Dress quality shoes that I liked were made in the Dominican republic rather than Wisconsin.

If Money is the main goal I'm sure we will see more /many new models made offshore and fewer wide widths and color choices available than they are now.

"John"

 

[Grayland]

Too bad Jos. A Bank didn't buy them. That way, we could have, "Buy one pair, get three pairs free".

 

[Isshinryu101]

They are in no-man's land price wise. $350 for calf & $500 for shell retail. Many Fl people love AE, but they prefer to get seconds... which are not profitable to the company. Alden makes a better product and is approx. $150 a pair more... and owns that market.

Expect to see AE drop quality and start selling for less money. Too many Italian shoes for sale at their current price point.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I am an AE customer,

I'm happy they are hanging in there But who knows what direction things will go. The Asian market is boosting their sales quite a bit and Im wondering if that is tipping the scale ?? wondering how sales are to USA buyers.

I hope they keep building shoes in USA in the classic styles. Though many of their More casual styles and a few Dress quality shoes that I liked were made in the Dominican republic rather than Wisconsin.

If Money is the main goal I'm sure we will see more /many new models made offshore and fewer wide widths and color choices available than they are now.

"John"

According to the article, AE is expanding production capacity in Wisconsin.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

They are in no-man's land price wise. $350 for calf & $500 for shell retail. Many Fl people love AE, but they prefer to get seconds... which are not profitable to the company. Alden makes a better product and is approx. $150 a pair more... and owns that market.

Expect to see AE drop quality and start selling for less money. Too many Italian shoes for sale at their current price point.

AE was owned by private equity before and after the sale. I don't imagine the CEO would stay on if he thought the company was going to be gutted.

 

[Feraud]

Too bad Jos. A Bank didn't buy them. That way, we could have, "Buy one pair, get three pairs free".

lol

 

[Isshinryu101]

AE was owned by private equity before and after the sale. I don't imagine the CEO would stay on if he thought the company was going to be gutted.

Said nothing about "gutted". I said they will lower standards and fins a lower price point to gain a new market.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

AE was owned by private equity before and after the sale. I don't imagine the CEO would stay on if he thought the company was going to be gutted.

It never is gutted just slowly rotting away.

 

[Tomasso]

Not knowing the new owner's investment philosophy limits my ability to forecast any changes they may make to AE's operation but somehow I prefer them over any involvement with MW; which reminded me of the SYMS acquisition of Sulka, which did not turn out well for the venerable haberdasher.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Not knowing the new owner's investment philosophy limits my ability to forecast any changes they may make to AE's operation but somehow I prefer them over any involvement with MW; which reminded me of the SYMS acquisition of Sulka, which did not turn out well for the venerable haberdasher.

At MW, they would have been part of a corporate conglomerate and struggled to establish and maintain their own corporate identity. They would also have competed with the other divisions for capital. Companies owned by PE firms generally operate independently and access to greater capital was mentioned in the press release. I'm more positive about this outcome which I really see as more of the same than I would have been if they had been swallowed by MW.

 

[SteveAS]

Alden makes a better product and is approx. $150 a pair more... and owns that market.

Would you elaborate on the quality differences you see between Alden and AE, please. I own several pairs of AE and am happy with their quality. I haven't owned Alden, but I've examined them in stores and not noted differences that would justify a higher price, so I'd like to hear more about the differences in quality you've noted.

 

[Isshinryu101]

leather is #1, by a far distance. AE is wildly inconsistent, while Alden uses a consistent product. The shell cordovan used by AE is very mediocre, whereas Alden has a relatively high quality product... and has a nice array of colors available as well. Aldens have a heavier weight shoe as well, whereas AE seem to have been getting lighter over the years. Alden isn't anything to brag about either... just better than AE. Hold 2 pairs of similar style in your hands and you will see.

 

[coloradorider]

Expect to see AE drop quality and start selling for less money. Too many Italian shoes for sale at their current price point.

I'd expect exactly the opposite. With the shortage of shell cordovan (all leather really) due to exploding demand in Asia and other emerging markets AE will likely have a price increase and marketing push explaining the price increase is due to increased quality, more expensive manufacturing, etc. People will equate the higher price with better quality and it may actually increase demand for their shell cordovan.

leather is #1, by a far distance. AE is wildly inconsistent, while Alden uses a consistent product. The shell cordovan used by AE is very mediocre, whereas Alden has a relatively high quality product... and has a nice array of colors available as well. Aldens have a heavier weight shoe as well, whereas AE seem to have been getting lighter over the years. Alden isn't anything to brag about either... just better than AE. Hold 2 pairs of similar style in your hands and you will see.

Both AE and Alden get their shell from Horween. "leather is #1, by a far distance" seems more hyperbole than fact. I think Alden gets the first pick of leather and the color 8 they use is by far my favorite cordovan/cordovan available. I prefer the Alden's shell colors slightly over AE but AE's colors have more variation and I've seen some beautiful pairs of their cordovans. I've also seen terrible examples from both Alden and AE where the shell doesn't age evenly and you get tiger striping of the color. I wish AE would incorporate shell into more desirable shoes. The plain toe blucher or split toe from Alden and AE are good examples. I don't think there is a huge quality gap but the Alden's are just better looking shoes IMO.

Would you elaborate on the quality differences you see between Alden and AE, please. I own several pairs of AE and am happy with their quality. I haven't owned Alden, but I've examined them in stores and not noted differences that would justify a higher price, so I'd like to hear more about the differences in quality you've noted.

I'd be interested in this too. I own several pair of AE and a few pair of Alden's. I don't really find there is a difference in quality between the two brands. I just feel that Alden executes their shell cordovan's and boots much better than AE does. I wouldn't buy a pair of calf skin Aldens because I don't see a difference in quality between the Alden and AE that would justify the higher price.

It seems that Alden is becoming more difficult and easier to get in the US at the same time. There isn't a single shoe store that carries Alden in Colorado. I think the closest is Phoenix, AZ or possibly OKC, OK. You can still buy Alden at Brooks Brothers and J Crew but they are special order items. Fortunately, these two chains have excellent return policies so you can bring in a lot shoes to try for fit if you're not sure of your size.

 

[Richard Warren]

Some people's standards are somewhat...ethereal. Alden may be a little better in quality control than AE; the main differences discernible to most folks are in style and fit (which is most important). In traditional leather dress shoes AE looks better to me. Alden shell cordovan shoes are superior.