MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

The team at Sucklings would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We appreciate our customers' support in 2009. We have managed to increase turnover this year despite the tougher trading conditions - we hope that this is because we have continued to maintain a high standard of product and customer experience.  We are planning on improving on those even further in 2010. Our trading hours over the holiday period are as follows: Fri  25 Dec 2009        Closed (Christmas) Sat  26 Dec 2009       10am - 4.30pm Sun  27 Dec 2009      Closed Mon 28 Dec 2009      Closed (Stat Holiday) Tues 29 Dec 2009     10am - 5pm Wed 30 Dec 2009      10am - 5pm Thur 31 Dec 2009      10am - 5pm Fri  1 Jan 2010             Closed (New Year) Sat 2 Jan 2010           10am - 4.30pm Sun 3 Jan 2010           Closed Mon 4 Jan 2010          Closed (Stat Holiday) Tues 5 Jan 2010         Invitation Only Sale

2009-12-24T16:59:28+13:00

The team at Sucklings would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We appreciate our customer's support in 2009. We have managed to increase turnover this year despite the tougher trading conditions - we hope that this is because we have continued to maintain a high standard of product and customer experience. We are planning on improving on that even further in 2010. Our trading hours over the holiday period are as follows: 11 2009-12-24-merry-christmas-and-happy-new-year published MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-12-24T17:08:35+13:00

Our full Spring/Summer range is now in-store and already selling at record levels. With longer days and warmer weather (most of the time!) we tend to get out more and so shoes become even more important. Many of our women's brands are ideal for when you are spending more time on your feet. <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/brands/ecco">Ecco</a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/brands/rockport">Rockport</a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/brands/merrell">Merrell </a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/brands/rieker">Rieker </a>and <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/brands/josef-seibel">Josef Seibel </a>have great casual and dress-casual shoes that you will enjoy wearing all day. <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/women/styles/sandal">Sandals</a>, of course, are ideal for hotter days. For men we have just got in from <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/men/brands/timberland">Timberland </a>boat shoes that are much lighter and more cushioned than the usual boat shoe and not forgetting the great casual styling. Many other brands such as <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/men/brands/ecco">Ecco</a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/men/brands/rockport">Rockport</a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/men/brands/florsheim">Florsheim</a>, <a href="http://www.sucklings.co.nz/shoes/men/brands/rieker">Rieker </a>have great styles for summer. Enjoy having a browse to see our full Spring/Summer ranges then order on-line call in to our store.

2009-10-15T11:26:49+13:00

Our full Spring/Summer range is now in-store and already selling at record levels. With longer days and warmer weather (most of the time!) we tend to get out more and so shoes become even more important. 10 2009-10-15-full-spring-summer-range-now-in-store published FULL SPRING/SUMMER RANGE NOW IN-STORE

2009-12-07T13:01:15+13:00

Right now is an exciting time at Sucklings as we open up a number of our main brands of shoes and sandals for the Spring/Summer season. After the dull and cold weather of winter the bright or lighter colours of the new season’s shoes and sandals lift the spirits. <div> </div> <div>We now have, for women, the new season’s ECCO, Ara, Hogl and Josef Seibel styles. They cover the range from dress sandals to dress-causal shoes and active walking shoes.</div> <div> </div> <div>For men, excellent ranges of ECCO and Rockport have arrived for Spring/Summer. You can chose from very comfortable dress shoes to great casual walking shoes as well as smart dress-casuals.</div> <div> </div> <div>As the weather starts to get warmer, these new shoes will help you get up and eager to be on the go. And of course they are ideal if you are about to head off overseas on holiday.</div> <div> </div> <div>We hope you like them as much as we do.</div> <div> </div> <div>John Suckling</div>

2009-08-15T15:21:38+12:00

Right now is an exciting time at Sucklings as we open up a number of our main brands of shoes and sandals for the Spring/Summer season. After the dull and cold weather of winter the bright or lighter colours of the new season’s shoes and sandals lift the spirits. 9 2009-08-15-exciting-times-opening-up-spring-summer-styles published EXCITING TIMES - OPENING UP SPRING/SUMMER STYLES

2009-12-07T13:01:15+13:00

To celebrate our anniversary of 75 years of trading, we are giving away 75 pairs of shoes through until the end of 2009. Two names (one man and one woman) are drawn every week from those  who have purchased shoes the week before. We are delighted to announce the following customers have won a free pair of shoes of their choice: Week Ending         Customer Name       Customer Name 20-04-2009            Mr G Tomich               Helen Keen 27-04-2009            Mr L Watson               Mrs A Densem 04-05-2009            Mr K York                   Mrs A Gibb 11-05-2009            Mr Oorschot               Mrs P Grant 18.05.2009            Mr B Smillie                  Mrs B J Wylie 25.05.2009            Mr D Cusack              Mrs C Davidson  30.05.2009            Mr N Watson              Mrs J Scott 08.06.2009            Mr B Durrant               Ms P Egan 15.6.2009              Mr S Haroon               Mrs J E Vartha 22.6.2009              Mr D G Hood              Ms K Duggan 07.07.2009            Mr A J Shepherd         Mrs N Mills 13.07.2009            Mr Caradus                Mrs R Bywater 20.07.2009            Mr K Fairs                   Mrs L King 27.07.2009            Mr S Skurr                   Mrs W Fearnley 03.08.2009            Mr K McSoriley           Mrs J McKenzie 10.08.2009            Mr P Thomas               Mrs J M Barker 17.08.2009            Mr P Whiteside            Mrs Manning 24.08.2009            Mr R W Muir                 Mrs A Healey 31.08.2009            Mr C Bickford               Ms J Crawford 07.09.2009            Mr E P Robertshaw       Mrs M Gardiner 14.09.2009            Mr J Goodenough        Mrs Van Der Meys 21.09.2009            Mr M Odgers               Ms L McLeod 28.09.2009            Mr B Hodgins              Ms H Hart 5.10.2009              Mr D Reid                    Mrs Graham 12.10.2009            Mr P Henry                  Mrs N Baxter 19.10.2009            Mr O McCarthy           Ms K Linde-Thomsen 26.10.2009             Mr J N Fink                  Mrs L Lee 2.11.2009               Mr P K B Ensor            Mrs V Gillespie 9.11.2009              MrA Charles                 Mrs L M Grocott 16.11.2009            Mr G R Kennedy          Mrs M M Holder 23.11.2009           Mr P B Jones                 Mrs L Etheridge 30.11.2009          Mr D G Reich                 Mrs T Dellaca 7.12.2009             Mr B Bullsmith                Mrs Binns 14.12.2009           Mr K Peacock              Ms M Fitzpatrick  21.12.2009          Mr P Hills                      Ms L Purcell 29.12.2009           Mr A Sinclair                 Mrs S Allison

2009-05-13T11:18:39+12:00

To celebrate our anniversary of 75 years of trading, we are giving away 75 pairs of shoes. Two names (one man and one woman) are drawn every week from those who have purchased shoes the week before. 8 2009-05-13-winners-75-pairs-for-75-years published Lucky Winners: "75 pairs for 75 years" Giveaway

2009-12-29T16:23:04+13:00

This blog entry shares the history of Sucklings Shoe Store since it was opened in 1934. Please note that all the information below will soon be posted in our About Us page with additional images for the rest of 2009, as part of our 75 year celebrations. We hope you enjoy reading the story, and viewing the images - and we look forward to your comments and memories. The Sucklings name has been associated with footwear in Christchurch since the founding (by John Suckling's great-grandfather John and his brother Nathaniel) of the Suckling Brothers factory in the city in 1871. In 1934, Len Suckling opened his first shoe shop in Colombo Street, initially selling men's shoes and exclusively Suckling Brothers brands sourced from the local factory. The 'Monarch' brand was made from NZ leather and the 'Landmark' brand was made from more expensive imported leather. Only one pair of each shoe in each size was held in shop stock, and a message boy was kept busy running to the factory for more shoes as each pair sold. <img height="353" width="500" src="/uploaded/Sucklings%20first%20store%20len%20and%20boy,%20pic%201.jpg" alt="" /> Len and his message boy in the original store. Len was an innovative and forward thinking marketer, forced to work harder by the introduction of import licensing in 1939 which made it difficult to grow his product range. Database marketing was unheard of in those days, but Len started keeping a card index record of every customer purchase, and regularly sent out individually named, printed letters to his customers. Len always had a keen eye for design and style, investing in ticket writing classes to help create eye catching window displays, which he photographed over the years. John remembers, "There was a very limited range (of men's shoes).  You had the plain front shoe, and the toe cap shoe.  I remember Dad being excited when the ‘mudguard’ range came out.  Really it was very limited." <img height="345" width="500" src="/uploaded/shoe%20shapes%20pic%202.jpg" alt="" /> Also limiting rapid growth of the business were customer buying habits; men were frugal with their footwear and usually made do with two pairs. In fact, right next door to the original Sucklings shop was a shoe repair and grindery shop owned by Len's father John (who had retired from the Sucklings Bros factory). Len frequently made use of the additional window space to increase the size of his own product displays. Typically once a pair of shoes had to be re-soled it was relegated to second string casual wear and a new pair – usually of the same style – was bought and used for more formal occasions. In 1948 Len bought the building of a former haberdashery shop at 627 Colombo Street, refurbishing the interior completely with a clean modern look and adding fitting cubicles so customers could try on their shoes in privacy from the street. <img height="287" width="500" src="/uploaded/scklng-1949%20-%20pic%203.jpg" alt="" /> The fitout of the new Colombo St store From the 1950s the shop gradually introduced other brands of shoes, and started to develop a reputation for quality, comfortable and stylish men's shoes, sourced from some of the leading European and US brands. The new shop also featured a foot x-ray machine, designed to enable the perfect fit – at a time when stiffer leathers and construction made it difficult to feel where the toes were sitting at the front of the shoe. The radiation dangers of x-ray were soon discovered however, which meant this innovation was shortlived, with the machine being donated to Christchurch Public Hospital (and now resident at Ferrymead). In 1977 the business was taken over by Len's son John Suckling, who had built a career in the public service as an economist before deciding that his passion was to work with people on a more personal basis. <img height="338" width="500" src="/uploaded/scklng%20pic%204.jpg" alt="" /> John's first re-fit of the store, late 70s John's focused approach on running a world class business has helped the company continue to build on the reputation Len developed and on its relationship with individual customers, many of whom have been shopping with Sucklings for generations. Soon after taking over the business, he saw the opportunity to convert Len's much used customer card files into a computerised database, which was also quite revolutionary for the early 1980s. At the time, suitable off-the-shelf software wasn't available,  so John worked with local software programmer Mike Wall to develop a unique software system which continues to work well today. Having a computerised record of every customer purchase makes it very easy to look after customers individually and ensure that even customers outside of Christchurch can call and see if new styles would be suitable for them, based on past purchases. Moving into the digital world took a major leap forward in 2008, when John took the company's entire stock online, meaning customers from anywhere in New Zealand can easily view and buy the full range of shoes through the company's website. Of course in the last decade, John also added women's shoes to the range, and they now make up a significant percentage of sales. Over the years, John Suckling has become highly regarded within the NZ shoe retail sector for his specialist footwear expertise, is a well known figure in Christchurch's central city retail world,  has held national positions with the NZ Retailers Association, and is currently on the board of the Retail Institute. His approach to business continues in the footsteps of his innovative father, continually exploring ways to meet and exceed the expectations of Sucklings customers. <img height="500" width="392" src="/uploaded/johns.jpg" alt="" />

2009-04-09T17:07:51+12:00

We are very proud to be celebrating 75 years of selling quality footwear in Christchurch, sharing with you some of the history and images since we opened the doors in 1934. 7 2009-04-09-a-lifetime-in-shoes-celebrating-75-years published A lifetime in shoes: Celebrating 75 Years!

2009-12-07T13:01:15+13:00