WISCONSIN RAPIDS – For those long awaiting a brand-name shoe store to grace Wisconsin Rapids with its presence, your wishes have been granted.
Regional family shoe chain, Shoe Sensation, will open a Wisconsin Rapids location on Nov. 20 in the Crossroads Center at 1000 E. Riverview Expressway, between the Copps and Shopko stores.
Mayor Zach Vruwink announced the opening of the new retailer in a Sept. 24 blog post.
Based in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Shoe Sensation has 98 stores in 16 states, including Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri and Ohio. Besides the upcoming Wisconsin Rapids store, Shoe Sensation has one other Wisconsin location, in Shawano.
According to its website, the typical Shoe Sensation store has more than 10,000 pairs of shoes and sells national brands such as Sketchers, Clarks, Life Stride, Rocket Dog, Bearpaw, John Deere, Nike, Dockers, Dr. Martens, Timberland, Lugs, Harley Davidson, Dockers, Lugz, New Balance, Adidas, Asics, Converse, DC, Vans and Osiris.
Quiggins said opening the Wisconsin Rapids store was a part of the shoe chain's strategy to expand its locations in areas that don't have many options for brand-name foot attire.
"We are looking to fill a void in some of these growing communities that needed branded footwear," Quiggins said.
Brand-name shoe retailers are in short supply in Wisconsin Rapids. Although there is a Payless ShoeSource in the Shopko, 1100 E. Riverview Expressway, there are no freestanding stores devoted entirely to footwear in the city or its metro area.
The opening of the new store will create about eight to 12 new jobs, Quiggins said, noting that this number could vary depending on how the manager decides to staff the store.
Vruwink told the Daily Tribune that he was pleased Shoe Sensation would be opening a Wisconsin Rapids store, especially since he's heard some remarks that the region was lacking in its retail footwear options.
The new store will offer athletic shoes and footwear options for women, juniors, children and men.
"I'm very excited about this, and I think it's a welcome addition to our retail offerings," Vruwink said.