DTC Nursing Shoe Brand Clove Is Expanding Into Wholesale & Adding New Styles
Clove, the footwear label founded in November 2019 by Joe Ammon, offers health-care workers a safer on-the-job alternative to traditional sneakers.
Its athletic looks are fluid-resistant, easy to clean and engineered for long hours of standing — and in a short time have garnered a strong direct-to-consumer following. (At press time, Clove was on the cusp of selling the 1 millionth pair of its Classic shoe.)
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To catapult to the next level, Clove has now brought in a seasoned industry expert to shape its retail distribution strategy.
In August, the company hired Jason Lewis as its first director of wholesale. Lewis most recently spent several years at Hoka after stints at New Balance, Mizuno and Birkenstock.
“There’s deep awareness nationwide on who Clove is, but footwear is this very special industry that really benefits from being able to hold the product in your hand,” said Ammon. “Ours is a special product for a special group of people. So when we’re on the shelf, I think it’s going to be really impactful for people to meet us there.”
He also sees wholesale as an opportunity to continue to broaden Clove’s audience beyond nurses.
“We’ve not done any work to reach a non-health-care customer base, and yet about 10 percent of our customer base isn’t in health care,” he explained, noting that its key attributes can appeal to other service industries. “I’m excited to use wholesale as the vessel to meet a bunch of new consumers.”
To start, Ammon said the company is taking a geographic approach, pinpointing the strongest cities among its current customer base. And from there it will look to target best-in-class retailers. “In the first year, we’re going to target eight to 10 [geographic areas] as our opening salvo and then go from there,” he said. “We’re looking for great partners that are excited to serve our customer base thoughtfully and help us be important to a whole unique audience. We’re not just another running brand.”
As it looks to forge those partnerships, Clove will have something new to offer them. The brand, whose collection currently includes three core styles, is adding another two looks to the range next month.
On Nov. 1, it will launch the Forte, a maximalist version of its Classic sneaker with a fluid-resistant upper made of Clarino alternative leather. Also debuting is the Alto, a lightweight laceup with a breathable ripstop upper. Both are built on the brand’s new SuperCush comfort system, and they are set to retail for $160.
“What sets us apart from a lot of athletic brands is we do not wake up every morning thinking, ‘How do I maximize the energy transfer from heel to toe?’” said Ammon. “We think about how to make the most comfortable and supportive shoe as possible for walking and standing.”
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