Aldo Groupe
Encyclopedia
The ALDO Group is a Canadian
corporation
that owns and operates a worldwide chain of shoe and accessory stores. The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal
, Quebec
, in 1972 where its corporate headquarters remain today. It has grown to become a worldwide corporation, with nearly 1600 stores under 5 retail banners: ALDO
, Call It Spring/Spring, Lōcale/Feetfirst, Globo and Little Burgundy. There are also ALDO Accessories, ALDO Outlet, ALDO Liquidation, Spring Liquidation, and clearance stores. Stores in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland are owned by the Group while international stores are franchised. The company once operated the now closed or re-branded banners Simard & Voyer, Christian Shoes, Access, Pegabo, Transit, Stoneridge, and FIRST (which was the American version of Feetfirst).
In 1991, the company launched the "Transit" banner in Canada, which later became "Spring" upon launching in the U.S. Five years later, they started the "Feetfirst" banner which caters to an older clientele. Additionally the company operates "Globo Shoes" geared towards the family market. In 2008, the company began to re-brand some of its "Stoneridge" stores as "Little Burgundy" stores. The new "Little Burgundy" stores carry brand name footwear and accessories from over seventy designers.
In 2010 the company once again began to evolve when it introduced, in Canada, a new store concept called "Lōcale", which will replace the current "Feetfirst" stores. "Lōcale" is a footwear and accessories boutique-style concept store aimed at young professionals; it offers a number of brand names. The company has also revived the Pegabo brand which used to be its own chain of stores and is currently selling the brand in Feetfirst and Lōcale stores. In Spring 2011, the Pegabo brand also launched at The Bay
stores in Canada.
Also during 2010, the company made major announcements which have led to major expansion in the American market. The ALDO Group and JCPenney announced the launch of the Call It Spring brand which will sell as a shop-in-shop concept in JCPenney stores across the United States. The Call It Spring concept is expected to be in 600 JCPenney stores by the fall of 2011 and JCPenney will be the only department store retailer of the brand. The ALDO Group also announced that it is partnering with Kohls department stores to design and produce exclusive footwear products which will be sold under private and exclusive brand names. The new ALDO-designed products will launch in Kohls stores for the Spring 2011 season.
ALDO aims to target customers on the street, because Aldo Bensadoun is “a strong believer that fashion starts on the street with political and economic events happening in the world.” Today, the ALDO Group sources
about 60 per cent of its products in China. It also has shoes made in other Asian centres as well as in Brazil, Eastern Europe and Italy. Being able to switch quickly to a factory with the capability to produce is an advantage in an industry where success depends upon getting the latest fashions on the shelf within weeks.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
that owns and operates a worldwide chain of shoe and accessory stores. The company was founded by Aldo Bensadoun in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, in 1972 where its corporate headquarters remain today. It has grown to become a worldwide corporation, with nearly 1600 stores under 5 retail banners: ALDO
Aldo
Aldo comes from the Latin altus and means "the tall one."Aldo may refer to:-People:* John Aldridge Prolific former Liverpool F.C. and Republic of Ireland footballer nicknamed Aldo* Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo, a trio of Italian comedians and film actors...
, Call It Spring/Spring, Lōcale/Feetfirst, Globo and Little Burgundy. There are also ALDO Accessories, ALDO Outlet, ALDO Liquidation, Spring Liquidation, and clearance stores. Stores in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Ireland are owned by the Group while international stores are franchised. The company once operated the now closed or re-branded banners Simard & Voyer, Christian Shoes, Access, Pegabo, Transit, Stoneridge, and FIRST (which was the American version of Feetfirst).
History
ALDO shoes was founded in Canada in 1972 as a footwear concession within Le Chateau. The original group included stores in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Winnipeg. The first freestanding ALDO store was opened in Montreal, in 1978. The brand expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, with stores operating under the name ALDO across Canada. The first international ALDO store opened in the United States in 1993 in Boston, Massachusetts. The first store outside of North America opened in Israel in 1995. The brand expanded in the 2000s into Saudi Arabia in 2001, England in 2002, and Singapore in 2003. Since then, the ALDO Group, with the ALDO and Call It Spring/Spring banners, has further expanded on the international market, and by the end of 2011, the company will operate more than 600 franchises in 63 countries around the world.In 1991, the company launched the "Transit" banner in Canada, which later became "Spring" upon launching in the U.S. Five years later, they started the "Feetfirst" banner which caters to an older clientele. Additionally the company operates "Globo Shoes" geared towards the family market. In 2008, the company began to re-brand some of its "Stoneridge" stores as "Little Burgundy" stores. The new "Little Burgundy" stores carry brand name footwear and accessories from over seventy designers.
In 2010 the company once again began to evolve when it introduced, in Canada, a new store concept called "Lōcale", which will replace the current "Feetfirst" stores. "Lōcale" is a footwear and accessories boutique-style concept store aimed at young professionals; it offers a number of brand names. The company has also revived the Pegabo brand which used to be its own chain of stores and is currently selling the brand in Feetfirst and Lōcale stores. In Spring 2011, the Pegabo brand also launched at The Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
stores in Canada.
Also during 2010, the company made major announcements which have led to major expansion in the American market. The ALDO Group and JCPenney announced the launch of the Call It Spring brand which will sell as a shop-in-shop concept in JCPenney stores across the United States. The Call It Spring concept is expected to be in 600 JCPenney stores by the fall of 2011 and JCPenney will be the only department store retailer of the brand. The ALDO Group also announced that it is partnering with Kohls department stores to design and produce exclusive footwear products which will be sold under private and exclusive brand names. The new ALDO-designed products will launch in Kohls stores for the Spring 2011 season.
ALDO aims to target customers on the street, because Aldo Bensadoun is “a strong believer that fashion starts on the street with political and economic events happening in the world.” Today, the ALDO Group sources
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
about 60 per cent of its products in China. It also has shoes made in other Asian centres as well as in Brazil, Eastern Europe and Italy. Being able to switch quickly to a factory with the capability to produce is an advantage in an industry where success depends upon getting the latest fashions on the shelf within weeks.