That’s because owner Eugene Schmuck believes in leaving his lights on as a way to make his business stand out. He told me it was the cheapest form of advertising he could think of. It worked on me.
History of Red Wing Shoes in Monaca
What is now the Red Wing Shoe Store in downtown Monaca started over a century ago as a family owned shoe store. Frank Schmuck opened his shoe store in 1904, and back then they carried a number of different brands of shoes.
Tragedy struck the store when it burned down in the early 1940’s. It was then that Frank’s son Henry returned home from the service to rebuild the store.
In 1969, Henry had the opportunity to turn his family shoe store into a Red Wing Shoe franchise and he took the plunge. Competition was getting tough in the family shoe business, and Henry felt that becoming a Red Wing franchise would give him the upper hand. They are now the oldest store in the entire Red Wing family.
Gene told me that he could remember practically growing up in the store. Back then, his family lived in the apartment above the store and he used to earn a penny for every shoe box he dusted.
Gene owns and runs the store today, but it no longer resembles the store that his grandfather started, or even the one that his father ran. That is because Gene completely remodeled the storefront in 2013 to become compliant with his Red Wing franchise agreement. The store has become, without question, the best-looking business in downtown Monaca.
Red Wing Quality
The appeal of the Red Wing brand is that it represents a superior level of quality. These are boots and shoes that you can count on to hold up under extreme circumstances and keep your feet comfortable at the same time.
Because of their superior durability and comfort, Red Wing shoes have developed a serious following among industrial workers. Their Heritage line is also becoming incredibly popular among professionals, particularly young, stylish professionals.
All Red Wing shoes come with a full warranty and are guaranteed to be waterproof. If there is any problem with your new shoes in the first 60 days, they can be replaced. There is also a 30 day comfort guarantee.
Red Wing Monaca Customers
Gene explained to me that the typical customer at Red Wing Shoes in Monaca is a blue collar worker looking for a good pair of reliable and comfortable work boots. Many of these customers come to Red Wing Shoes because their employers have a corporate contract with Red Wing to provide boots for their employees.
Since these customers are generally on their feet all day, they tend to value good footwear more than the average person. Typical Red Wing customers include mill workers, construction workers, gas and oil industry workers, security guards, and a variety of other professions. I think Gene described his customers best by saying that they are “just plain working men.”
Of course there are also customers of the walk-in variety. Many of these customers are delighted to find that Gene keeps quite a few odd sizes in stock at all times. While you might have a hard time finding a large size or odd width at most shoe stores, there is a good chance that Red Wing Shoes in Monaca has what you are looking for in stock.
Superior Customer Service
On top of the fact that Red Wing Shoes offers the best quality boots that money can buy, they also provide top notch customer service to make sure that you are getting the perfect shoes in just the right size. Gene has spent his entire life in the shoe business, so there is simply no way that some high school kid at the mall can match his expertise.
While my conversation with Gene was a really interesting history lesson, the coolest part for me was when he invited me to put my feet into his sizing machine. Now this machine isn’t one of those little shoe sizers that you’d find at the mall, this thing adjusts to your feet and displays detailed measurements explaining exactly the type of shoe you need.
In an effort to further improve the service he offers to his customers, Gene recently ordered an even more sophisticated sizing machine that will also be able to educate customers on what type of arch support will work best for their feet.
Location, Hours & Coupons
If you are driving through downtown Monaca, Red Wing Shoes is hard to miss, but its official address is 915 Pennsylvania Ave. Since most of us in Beaver County will find ourselves driving through Monaca on a regular basis, this is a great location! They are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm every Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every Saturday.
If you already own a great pair of Red Wing shoes, you might be interested to know that they also stock Red Wing gloves, belts, socks, boot liners, and cleaning products. If you are on the fence about purchasing a new pair of Red Wings, there are some great coupons on their website that might just push you over the edge!
When I asked Gene if any particular customers or sales stood out in his mind from all of his years in the business, one story really stood out. He told me about a customer from years ago that was able to purchase Red Wings shoes through his company at a price lower than Gene’s cost. For some reason, that customer chose instead to come into Gene’s store and pay substantially more.
When Gene asked about this strange decision, the customer explained that the Schmuck’s had always taken care of his family and allowed them to charge purchases when times were tough. The customer saw his relationship with Red Wing Shoes in Monaca as being far more valuable than the price of the shoes.
Do you have that type of relationship with the store you buy your shoes from? If not, you should make it a point to check out Red Wing Shoes in Monaca!
