Frye Will Shutter All of Its Stores as it Moves to Digital
All of Frye’s stores are slated to shut down for good.
The New York-based boot maker announced yesterday in an email to customers that it would shutter its entire brick-and-mortar fleet of 16 stores in a bid to go “all in” on its digital business.
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“While 2020 has already been full of ups and downs, if our 157-year legacy has taught us anything, it’s the power of resilience,” it wrote in the email, which was obtained by FN’s sister publication Sourcing Journal. (FN has reached out to Frye for additional confirmation.)
It added, “After careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to close all of our retail locations. We have loved being a part of your communities and remain committed to providing best-in-class service to all of our customers shopping with us online at www.TheFryeCompany.com.”
The company urged customers to shop its entire collection on its website, which offers free shipping and returns. Although its retail partners include Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus, the brand said that its online platform carries the “largest assortment of Frye footwear of any retailer.”
Frye’s storied history dates back to 1863, when John A. Frye opened a shop on Marlboro, Mass. In 1888, the brand debuted its first boot — now housed at the Marlboro Historical Society — then in the 1940s, it released its first pair of cowboy boots, the Rancher. During the Second World War, it supplied boots to United States servicemen, including Gen. George Patton.
Over the years, Frye has also custom-designed and -made boots for some of the world’s most recognizable A-listers, celebrities and world leaders, such as Jackie Kennedy, Candice Bergen, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Carole King and even President Richard Nixon.
Its e-commerce site, www.TheFryeCompany.com, officially launched in 2000. Frye also opened its first doors in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood, which was followed by locations in Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It also has units in Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville and San Francisco, among other major metropolitan cities across the country.
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