From baskets to children’s fashion: starting out in 1863 as a specialist wickerwork shop, Korbmayer is now one of Germany’s largest children’s stores, and stocks everything that a child’s heart could ever desire. A cool Pepe jeans outfit? A pair of casual New Balance sneakers? Or perhaps a new teddy from Tartine et Chocolat? No wish is left unanswered at Korbmayer in Stuttgart.
Since the very beginning, Korbmayer has been kept in the family, and is now run by the fifth generation with great dedication. Husband and wife team Florian and Silvia Henneka are at the helm, and their team includes other members of the family, too. The year before last, Stuttgart’s long-established store celebrated its 150th anniversary – marking the occasion with a completely revamped children’s shoe department. “We intentionally designed this floor to be spacious, so that the shoes could take central stage,” explains Florian Henneka. “And this also means, of course, that the children have more room to play around a bit. A little distraction has never done shoe-buying any harm before,” adds the Managing Director with a wink. Up to six sales assistants dedicated exclusively to this floor are devoted to creating the best shopping experience for their little customers. They are helped on their mission by an assortment of toys, such as play kitchens, roundabouts and slides. At Korbmayer, anyone involved with children’s shoes – which by nature require a lot of customer service – attends regular training. All sales assistants on the shop floor have been certified by the German Shoe Institute (DSI).
Alongside the wonderful ambiance, specialist advice also makes Korbmayer a popular port of call for many customers. We have a large number of loyal customers,” explains Florian Henneka. “The majority know that buying shoes for children needs a little more time and assistance. But the most important thing is that customers end up with a well-fitting shoe.” Korbmayer stocks labels such as Bisgaard, Naturino, Momino, Living Kitzbühel and Ocra. The Hennekas select their range of brands with great attention to detail, gaining inspriation from visits to trade fairs such as Pitti Bimbo in Florence, the GDS in Düsseldorf and Playtime in Paris.
Looking towards the future, Florian Henneka primarily sees one challenge: availability. “If a shoe is unavailable in the given size, a lot of customers go and look for it on the Internet. The right shoe is always just a click away.” This is an issue that we need to address with manufacturers because traditional stores such as Korbmayer should not be allowed to die out.
www.korbmayer.de
