The Allen Edmonds / Men's Warehouse brand?

[Feraud]

Whatever your opinion on the quality of Allen Edmonds in the grand scheme of men's shoes, I get the impression being purchased by Men's Warehouse is not a step up.

Men’s wearhouse, a men’s clothing retailer, is weighing a bid for Allen Edmonds, people briefed on the matter said on Tuesday. The move comes even as the clothing company prepares to defend itself against a potential hostile takeover approach by Jos. A. Bank.

 

[CircuitRider]

If they start making them in China...then the brand name will only be a name tacked on a generic shoe. [huh]

 

[Guttersnipe]

Interesting that Allen Edmonds has been owned by a private equity fund for the last seven years (IIRC, the company was a closely held corporation, with all the shares being held by family members before that). I've noticed a decline in quality over the last few years; that combined with their recent entry into the clothing mark all makes sense now. Both are par for the course in the life cycle of a PE asset churn. . .

. . . I predict my next new pair of shoes will be Aldens

 

[Tomasso]

I've noticed a decline in quality over the last few years;

I just recently handled a few pairs at Brooks Brothers and they looked pretty good. Maybe they were from a higher line. Before then I hadn't handled any for several years.

 

[Lije Baley]

I retired five years ago. My Allen Edmonds shoes have been collecting dust all that time. But before that, my three pair were all the dress shoes I needed for the last 15 years of court appearances. The shoes were wonderfully made; periodic refurbishment by AE kept them like new. If their quality has declined it really is a shame.

 

[Guttersnipe]

I just recently handled a few pairs at Brooks Brothers and they looked pretty good. Maybe they were from a higher line. Before then I hadn't handled any for several years.

The currently trendy textured matte finishes they make -- which I don't think are sold at BBs -- are why I say this. I could be mistaken, but I don't think uppers with those treatments will age well. The other component if second and first hand experience with poor finishing/quality on brand new AE in the last 2 years or so. I bought a new pair of black wingtips (the McAllester model?) two years ago and the right heel came loose second time I wore them. To their credit, the AE store near Union Square replaced shoes without hesitation. Around the same time, a friend of mine ordered a pair at the store (they didn't have the color he wanted in stock), which the drop shipped to his house. When they arrived, the welt stitching was seriously wonky. Again, they replaced the shoes without hesitation. But still . . .

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I have not found the quality to go down any these last couple of years. Quality shoes are a small market. Most men now days walk around in trainers.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I was going to post about this too, but it was/is just a rumor at this point, though where there's smoke, there's fire. It would be insane for MW to buy Allen-Edmonds and destroy the brand. That trick worked in the past, but I doubt it would work now. MW bought Joseph Abboud in June or July, and their new strategy is to go up-market, not down. The other complication in all this is Jos.A. Bank has a bid on MW. If Allen-Edmonds gets bought, my only concern would be that they stop making their more esoteric (vintage) styles.

 

[Tomasso]

I bought a new pair of black wingtips (the McAllester model?) two years ago and the right heel came loose second time I wore them. To their credit, the AE store near Union Square replaced shoes without hesitation. Around the same time, a friend of mine ordered a pair at the store (they didn't have the color he wanted in stock), which the drop shipped to his house. When they arrived, the welt stitching was seriously wonky. Again, they replaced the shoes without hesitation. But still . . .

The heel issue is something I've encountered a few times with brands at the high end of the shoe pyramid. I think that it's something that happens and is difficult for quallity control to spot. The wonky welt stitching is another story; totally inexcusable.

 

[Shanghailander]

I just got my AE brown and white spectators back from refurbishing - they have been around the world with me twice and after 15 years, I was darn near to wearing a hole in the soles. They came back looking like new.

Just picked up a pair of New Orleans and they look great as well.