Joseph Cheaney & Sons: Heritage Footwear Brand Remaining True to its English-Made Credentials
By
10 months ago
A classic brand with a contemporary ethos of innovation
Joseph Cheaney & Sons is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.
Joseph Cheaney & Sons: Great British Brand 2024
‘Cheaney, a classic brand, distinguishes itself by embodying a youthful and contemporary spirit compared to our close competitors.
A key plank to our recent growth revolves around the development of our retail estate portfolio. Our stores are designed to reflect our rich heritage in a fresh and contemporary way. Within our stores, you’ll find references back to our factory roots. We proudly emphasise our role as the maker, a distinctive trait, as many brands retail products rather than crafting them. This adds to confidence and trust in what we do.
Like the significance of not neglecting the internet in today’s landscape, I would emphasise that, for a brand like us, disregarding the importance of physical stores or a bricks-and-mortar presence is equally perilous. Human interaction plays a crucial role in cultivating the brand rapport we aim to establish with our customers. Online sales are an important complement to our store network. Staying true to our roots and preserving a connection with customers runs strong in both our physical stores and marketing efforts.
Our commitment to sustainability starts with our footwear, thanks to our Goodyear welted construction, wherein the sole is stitched to the upper, allowing the replacement of the sole up to three times. In contrast, most footwear in the market is simply glued, resulting in landfill waste once the sole wears out.
It is natural for us to use storytelling in our brand because we’ve got a factory with 110 craftspeople in it – it’s a theatre that tells its own story. We retain all of our manufacturing in house meaning that we can maintain intimate technical and quality control throughout. It’s all about the skilled hand that sits behind the shoe that they’re making. People who visit the factory find it amazing.
While our shoes carry a premium price, they represent a lasting investment. Over time, the product yields a remarkable return, measured ultimately by the number of times you wear them. We believe Cheaney offers exceptional value as enduring companions for years to come.’
William Church, Joint Managing Director
Five Proudest Moments
1. Jonathan and William Church buying the company in 2009. The family has been making fine shoes for five generations, entirely made in England.
2. Opening our first retail store in Lime Street, London in 2010. An e-commerce site was also launched.
3. Opening our flagship store in Jermyn Street, London in 2014.
4. Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2016.
5. Opening our tenth store in Edinburgh at 33 George Street in April 2023.
What I’ve Learnt
- Cherish and nurture your brand’s power: watch it grow.
- A retail presence transcends products, fostering a human touch. Beyond this, it builds rapport, allowing staff to advise, story-tell, and connect with customers.
- Focusing on customers, including what they want, how they feel and where to find them, can improve your results.
CHEANEY SHOES LTD
69 Rushton Road, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2RR
+44 (0)1536 760383
