CARRICKFERGUS COMPANY PUTS HEART AND SOLE INTO NEW MEN'S SHOE DESIGN

A Northern Ireland-based company is putting its best foot forward by distributing their exclusively designed men's Irish brogues with a green sole direct from their distribution centre in Carrickfergus to the rest of the world.

Robinson's Shoemakers are the only indigenous shoe brand on the island of Ireland and their distinct Irish brogues which come in varying styles including Whisky Tan, Peat Brown and Blackthorn - all feature a subtly coloured green sole.

Their chances of export success have been boosted by assistance from Invest Northern Ireland who has been advising the company in a bid to help them gain a foothold in the competitive online retailing market overseas.

Robin Stewart, owner of Robinsons Shoemakers said: "We are well known for making handmade shoes and as shoe retailers in Northern Ireland since 1954 but we also design our own brand of shoes and we plan to sell our latest creation all over the world via our website.

"Our interpretation of the traditional Irish brogue has a special feature found on no other pair of shoes as the design is ours exclusively - a green sole. Already, and with limited marketing we have had interest from New York, Boston, Seattle, Lima, California as well as the UK and Ireland."

The success of the e-commerce side of their business has helped the niche shoemaker and retailer create 3 new jobs and over the next 6 months they plan to expand their operation even further by taking on more warehouse storage.

"As with any new design we were unsure how the market would react to it but orders have been coming in on a regular basis and the volume has also been greater than expected. We need a larger storage facility to accommodate our increasing volume of orders and we are looking at our options at the moment.

"Invest Northern Ireland has also offered its support and we are currently working on a marketing strategy which we will hopefully implement in the coming months and if all goes well new jobs will follow later in the year.", Robin continued.

Each pair of shoes is delivered in a specially designed box, has its own special green cloth bags which will have the recipient's name embossed on them, a branded green shoehorn and a tin of special shoe polish to keep the brogues looking as good as new.

"The American export market is a big focus for our green soled Irish brogues and we have, together with Invest Northern Ireland, identified key ways in which we plan to market our designs to Boston and New York buyers and consumers.

"But the beauty of e-commerce is that the world is your market which our latest order for 35 pairs of shoes from a businessman in Lima, goes to prove."

The traditional shoemakers is the only place in Ireland where someone can buy a brand name pair of shoes made by an Irish shoemakers and one of only two shops dedicated solely to men's quality footwear in Northern Ireland. They stock high end brands such as Loake, Church's and Barker as well as affordable lines in a bid to stay competitive in a difficult retail climate.

"Our aim at Robinson's is to give our customers a service and product that can't be found on the High Street. At our shop getting a handmade pair of shoes is not so much a purchase but more of an experience where quality and correct fitting are assured."

Robin feels that the real test of their leather will come in two months time on the 17 March, St Patrick's Day and they have been working non-stop to ensure stock levels of their green sole design are high to meet the expected demand.

Robin continued: "St Patrick's Day is a big focus for us at the moment and coupled with some marketing initiatives we plan to undertake over the coming weeks we feel that the American market could prove to be our best performer.

"We have even set aside a special pair of brogues for President Barack Obama which will be hand delivered by our MLA's during their traditional White House visit on St Patrick's Day. It has been widely reported that President Obama has roots in Ireland. What most people don't know however is that records show Mr Obama's fourth great-grandfather was a shoemaker in the village of Moneygall so you could say his 'sole' is truly green."

For further information on Robinson's Shoemakers range of shoes and their Irish brogue with the green sole design log onto www.robinsonsshoes.com or call 028 93367216.