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Just for Feet

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Assignment 4: Just for Feet

Harold Ruttenberg, a native of South Africa, paid for his college education by working as a sales clerk in a men`s clothing store. Following his graduation, Harold Ruttenberg began importing Levi`s jeans from the United States and selling them from his car. Ruttenberg earned enough capital from selling the Levi`s jeans to open his own retail store. By the time Harold Ruttenberg reached the age of 30, he owned a small chain of men`s apparel stores.
Due to mounting political and economic troubles in South Africa during the early to mid-1970s, Ruttenberg decided to move his family to the United States. Ruttenberg arrived in California in 1976 with less than $30,000 due to South Africa`s strict emigration laws, but he was nonetheless determined to become a successful retail business entrepreneur. Ruttenberg and his family eventually settled in Birmingham, Alabama in favor of a more affordable business environment.
In 1988, Ruttenberg decided to begin a new business venture in the retail shoe business. At the time Ruttenberg began his new business venture the market for high priced athletic shoes was growing rapidly, and becoming a larger segment of the retail shoe industry. During this time, the principal retail outlets for the major athletic shoe manufacturers were in thousands of suburban malls across the United States. A problem with having a retail store in a suburban mall is the space is relatively small limiting a retailer’s ability to display an array of products. In addition, the high cost of floor space in suburban malls with heavy traffic limits the profitability of shoe retailers as well.
Ruttenberg revolutionized the retail shoe business with a new and innovative business plan. Ruttenberg chose to build his stores in freestanding buildings located near malls. In having a freestanding store, Ruttenberg lured consumers away

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