Charles Clinkard: a modern store with traditional values
If, like us, you’re from the North East, you’ll almost certainly have heard of the independent footwear retailer Charles Clinkard – a welcome and reassuring presence on the region’s high streets since the very first store opened in Middlesbrough in 1924. What you might not know, however, is that the present-day Charles Clinkard has 32 shops across the country – and that it ships nationally and internationally from its online store, with free delivery (or handy click and collect) on all UK orders.
Though the business has grown over the years, Charles Clinkard’s brand values of offering high-quality branded footwear backed up by superb personal service have been kept alive through the generations. Today, they’re continued by the current Managing Director, Charles Clinkard, the grandson of the founders.
As Charles put it in a recent interview with Soult’s Retail View: “I think it’s important to uphold the traditions and values of my grandparents, the founders of the business – well-informed customer service, a focus on quality, and an unwavering commitment to your niche. They still have value today. Our challenge now is to ensure that our customers enjoy a convenient and happy shopping experience, regardless of whether they’re shopping in a store, on their phones or on their tablets.”
The business may be celebrating its 80th birthday this year, but with strong values like that – and an impressive online store stocking Gabor, Clarks, Ecco and other quality shoes for men, women and (of course) children, under the famous Kids at Clinks brand – Charles Clinkard looks like it will be delighting shoppers for many more decades to come.
Visit Charles Clinkard online