Payless closing all stores

[mbcdefg]

Payless ShoeSource is shuttering all of its 2,100 remaining stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, joining a list of iconic names like Toys R Us and Bon-Ton that have closed down in the last year.

The Topeka, Kansas-based chain said Friday it will hold liquidation sales starting Sunday and wind down its e-commerce operations. All of the stores will remain open until at least the end of March and the majority will remain open until May.

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/payless-shoe-stores-plans-close-2-100-u-s-locations-n972366

[UMaineTeach]

Not shocked

Actually, thought they were already done.

[krystee]

I am sad because wide shoes are so hard to find, and they carried wide sizes.

[idahome]

It will be so difficult for me to find affordable shoes now. My size 12 feet don’t get much love from other shoe stores.

[atexan]

I'm bummed. I buy a lot of shoes from there.

[pinkdutchtulips]

Feb 15, 2019 22:11:56 GMT -5 idahome said:

It will be so difficult for me to find affordable shoes now. My size 12 feet don’t get much love from other shoe stores.

ditto from a fellow bigfoot - size 11 here

[pumpkin]

This makes me sad. They're great when I need something fun but don't want to spend too much and don't have to worry if I don't wear them often.

[fumbalina]

I will have to peruse the locations still open. Another size 11 here. I always have been able to get shoes at Payless. This will make my life miserable because the only other place I have been able to purchase shoes has been Academy and if it is sports shoes or sandals, it means a serious search. I can not purchase shoes online because I have a normal ball and narrow heel with a really high arch. This means that almost no shoes are comfortable. I have always tried on every pair in my size and bought them all.

[One Girl In All The World]

My favorite and most comfortable heels are from payless. I should try and get to one while they're still around to buy a couple more...

[pugz]

Bummer 😞

[nessness]

Bummer. I love their Dexflex flats. I guess I'd probably better grab a couple pairs while I still can.

ETA: it looks like they've already stopped online sales. All the products online just say "find a store near you" - there are no purchase options.

[lanehazel]

Meh, they sell super cheap shoes made by child labor.

[msmerymac]

It's sad because I used to go to payless with my mom all the time when I was in like 4th-9th grade - the times I wanted cuter shoes and was wearing adult sizes, but my shoe size was still changing, so I needed new shoes each year. As an adult, I also got some pretty cute and comfortable shoes from there. Did they last decades? No, but they were useful. I had some cute metallic heels in my 20s that I loved, and some yellow mules.

I'm also surprised in away because they just did that viral "Paylessi" thing.

[jinkies]

I will just echo the others in this thread to say that Payless has been virtually the only brick and mortar store where I can consistently try on and buy larger sizes (Im size 11, my mom is a 12 and also relies on Payless).

I live very close to a dsw, marshalls, and kohls, but none of them carry above a 10 except in their clearance section. That's fine for browsing, but if I needed a specific shoe on a time crunch I'd go to payless.

[spindle92]

Feb 16, 2019 0:06:16 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

My favorite and most comfortable heels are from payless. I should try and get to one while they're still around to buy a couple more...

Yes, I love their heels for work.  Guess I will be heading there later today to stock up.

[scout8]

I'm also an 11 and I have had very good luck finding shoes at DSW. Well, really I'm a 10 1/2 which I can almost never find, but that's another story. I also find a lot of size 11 shoes at Nordstrom Rack and other department store outlets.

[simpsongal]

Feb 15, 2019 23:08:55 GMT -5 pinkdutchtulips said:

Feb 15, 2019 22:11:56 GMT -5 idahome said:

It will be so difficult for me to find affordable shoes now. My size 12 feet don’t get much love from other shoe stores.

ditto from a fellow bigfoot - size 11 here

ditto - in between 11 and 11.5, the latter of which is impossible to find.

[WOT?*]

Not just based on shoe size but often Payless is the only shoe store around with affordable prices in lower income areas. I know there's a Payless one block from a Ross in the area where the girls go to cheer (that has a MUCH better selection than the Ross does at any given time) and a Payless in the parking lot of the WalMart near us, and so forth. A lot of folks go to Payless because they can't *afford* to go to the department or independent shoe stores. "I pay $20 four times because I can't afford $80 one time." They'll be stuck with the selection at Walmart and similar stores in their neighborhoods. Payless also sells ballet and tap shoes at remarkably affordable prices. $20 Highlights there versus $50+ Capezio at the dance stores (speaking from experience since I've shopped both) - and Payless is convenient to them as well. Lots of kids in LCOL areas who dance at the community centers and Parks & Rec don't have access to a dance store but do have access to a Payless. So this makes that market out of reach for a lot of those kids as well. From that aspect, this makes me kind of sad.

[eddy]

Feb 16, 2019 0:06:16 GMT -5 One Girl In All The World said:

My favorite and most comfortable heels are from payless. I should try and get to one while they're still around to buy a couple more...

The only heels I buy. I should stock up I guess. 

[keh2oblue]

Feb 16, 2019 12:45:10 GMT -5 WOT?* said:

Not just based on shoe size but often Payless is the only shoe store around with affordable prices in lower income areas. I know there's a Payless one block from a Ross in the area where the girls go to cheer (that has a MUCH better selection than the Ross does at any given time) and a Payless in the parking lot of the WalMart near us, and so forth. A lot of folks go to Payless because they can't *afford* to go to the department or independent shoe stores. "I pay $20 four times because I can't afford $80 one time." They'll be stuck with the selection at Walmart and similar stores in their neighborhoods. Payless also sells ballet and tap shoes at remarkably affordable prices. $20 Highlights there versus $50+ Capezio at the dance stores (speaking from experience since I've shopped both) - and Payless is convenient to them as well. Lots of kids in LCOL areas who dance at the community centers and Parks & Rec don't have access to a dance store but do have access to a Payless. So this makes that market out of reach for a lot of those kids as well. From that aspect, this makes me kind of sad.

Yep, I have two kids in dance, but of course, have to buy 2-3 different types of shoes for each.  They can wear them about 9 months before they grow out of them

I am also a size 11, but I need super arch support, so most of the shoes don't work from payless.

[CrazyLucky]

I like to get the kids' dress shoes there. I know they'll only be worn a few times before they're outgrown.

[WOT?*]

Feb 16, 2019 13:47:49 GMT -5 keh2oblue said:

Feb 16, 2019 12:45:10 GMT -5 WOT?* said:

Not just based on shoe size but often Payless is the only shoe store around with affordable prices in lower income areas. I know there's a Payless one block from a Ross in the area where the girls go to cheer (that has a MUCH better selection than the Ross does at any given time) and a Payless in the parking lot of the WalMart near us, and so forth. A lot of folks go to Payless because they can't *afford* to go to the department or independent shoe stores. "I pay $20 four times because I can't afford $80 one time." They'll be stuck with the selection at Walmart and similar stores in their neighborhoods. Payless also sells ballet and tap shoes at remarkably affordable prices. $20 Highlights there versus $50+ Capezio at the dance stores (speaking from experience since I've shopped both) - and Payless is convenient to them as well. Lots of kids in LCOL areas who dance at the community centers and Parks & Rec don't have access to a dance store but do have access to a Payless. So this makes that market out of reach for a lot of those kids as well. From that aspect, this makes me kind of sad.

Yep, I have two kids in dance, but of course, have to buy 2-3 different types of shoes for each.  They can wear them about 9 months before they grow out of them

I am also a size 11, but I need super arch support, so most of the shoes don't work from payless.

I remember going into retail sales shortly after my ex became disabled. I bought my first pairs of working shoes/heels from Payless and my feet were killing me by the end of the shift. Didn't really understand why other than cheap heels with no real support. Fortunately he was still able to shop at the Exchange and they just started carrying Easy Spirit heels. "Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker!" was right. I tried a pair on for the heck of it and walked out after having paid $50+ (without sales tax. Such an awesome benefit from being military) when I was used to paying $9.99 for the Payless shoes. But oooh, my feet felt the difference. That was when I first learned/realized that if I could save up for a "splurge" item like a good pair of shoes, it was totally worth every penny saved and every dime spent. But those same shoes were also selling for $80 out in the "real world" so I know I was very, very fortunate to be able to even have that sort of epiphany and the price savings that came with it.

[thejen626]

This bums me out.

@
DD1 does cheer and I buy her cheer shoes there every year. DD2 does ballet and I just bought her new ballet shoes and tights. They also have really cute Jojo Siwa shoes with bows on them, they are my “go-to” birthday gift because they are cheap and the girls love them.

[af1212]

@@@



Man no stride rite, no Payless, where are parents supposed to get shoes anymore?

I also loved their dex whatever brand - so comfy! And the only place I would let my girls get “fancy” shoes. Not to mention dance shoes!

[jackie011]

Feb 16, 2019 15:46:12 GMT -5 af1212 said:

@@@



Man no stride rite, no Payless, where are parents supposed to get shoes anymore?

I also loved their dex whatever brand - so comfy! And the only place I would let my girls get “fancy” shoes. Not to mention dance shoes!

@@@
Yes!!! My kid has a short, wide foot. I can order 8 different pairs on Amazon and spend way too much time sending them back or I can go to one store and buy them. Ugh! And truly, there is now only 1 store

[CloudBee]

I think this is partly because our generation is starting to buy higher quality items that will last, and in turn purchasing fewer “things”. Inexpensive shoe and clothing stores are closing left and right.

[dottyblue]

Fellow big foot (size 12). Nordstrom, Zappos and Amazon prime are my go to’s. I can order 4-5 (or more) pairs of shoes to try on at home and free shipping to send back what I don’t want. It’s not ideal, but it works.

[fumbalina]

Feb 16, 2019 18:49:22 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

I think this is partly because our generation is starting to buy higher quality items that will last, and in turn purchasing fewer “things”. Inexpensive shoe and clothing stores are closing left and right.

I would say it is more a function of wealth being concentrated at the top. Those at the bottom now have to scrounge to find a few dollars to purchase something, so instead of a choice, they end up going to a thrift store and hoping to find something acceptable. 

If all of your money needs to cover rent, power, and transportation then you have nothing left to purchase on things that you truly will need and you end up being judged for having poor quality items, thus making the class divide even wider. 

[af1212]

Feb 17, 2019 17:05:30 GMT -5 fumbalina said:

Feb 16, 2019 18:49:22 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

I think this is partly because our generation is starting to buy higher quality items that will last, and in turn purchasing fewer “things”. Inexpensive shoe and clothing stores are closing left and right.

I would say it is more a function of wealth being concentrated at the top. Those at the bottom now have to scrounge to find a few dollars to purchase something, so instead of a choice, they end up going to a thrift store and hoping to find something acceptable. 

If all of your money needs to cover rent, power, and transportation then you have nothing left to purchase on things that you truly will need and you end up being judged for having poor quality items, thus making the class divide even wider. 

Seems like a great place to leave this quote fromen at Arms ... income inequality and shoes!!

“The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.

Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.

But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.

This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.”

[elleblue]

af1212 I love Terry Pratchett