July 2021
Show Season is almost here!!
Most of us are learning to move forward in this crazy new normal.

Here at the USRA, we are most excited to move forward with our annual May Event. After having to cancel for the last few years, we are thankful we can once again meet in person as we help to rebuild, re-energize and re-connect our industry. For more info on the USRA May Event check it out here.

We are also very excited for the upcoming in-person shows. To actually see people. To connect and re-connect makes us all so happy and we cannot wait!

To prepare for the shows check out our
"HOW TO SHOP A SHOW" worksheet and to assist you in your planning, there are also appointment sheets you can download.

The Upcoming Shows are:
-The IR Show August 2-4 in San Diego, CA
-MAGIC August 8-10 in Las Vegas, NV
-The Atlanta Market August 13-15 in
Atlanta, GA

For more show info: Links are below.

Hope you plan to attend the shows and
I hope to see you at one or more of them!


"Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life." - J.K. Rowling
SAVE THE DATES!
CHECK THIS OUT!!
For more information, contact:
Belinda Pina
Global Sales Director
310-633-3454
HAVE YOU REGISTERED?
USRA WILL BE THERE, WILL YOU?
If you are attending, USRA will be sponsoring donuts on the first day of the show, please join us!
Skechers Donations Surpass $8 Million to Save Shelter Animals
Skechers’ philanthropic BOBS from Skechers collection has surpassed more than $8 million to date to save and help over 1.5 million animals in need in the United States and Canada. The milestone reflects the Manhattan Beach, CA-based company’s growing investment in animal welfare across North America, which in June will include a register round-up at Skechers stores throughout North America as well as planned adoption events with national non-profit organization Petco Love and animal welfare partners in California, Texas, Nebraska and Vancouver. Additionally, Skechers and Petco Love continue to recognize organizations across the country that have gone above and beyond to protect and save shelter dogs and cats by investing in their lifesaving work with special grants and check celebrations. These grants allow the organizations to expand their efforts to help more animals in need through adoption, medical care and numerous other lifesaving initiatives throughout the nation.


Footwear Industry Reflects on Life of Bruce Katz, Founder of Rockport and Samuel Hubbard

“He was the ultimate visionary.”

That was how retailer Robert Goldberg of Harry’s Shoes in New York described Bruce R. Katz, the footwear entrepreneur who founded not one but two major brands: The Rockport Co. and Samuel Hubbard Shoe Co. Katz passed away on June 26, after suffering injuries from a fall at his home in Mill Valley, Calif. He was 75.

“Bruce created concepts that people really could relate to. And he was always ahead of the curve in terms of conceptualizing it,” Goldberg added.

Born in Newton, Mass., on Feb. 17, 1947, Katz was the third generation of a family shoemaking legacy that began with his grandfather Samuel J. Katz, who founded the first Hubbard Shoe Co. in 1930, and his father, Saul L. Katz, who was his co-founder at Rockport.

From an early age, Katz was fascinated with science, technology and “how things work” and went on to study engineering physics at Cornell University. He applied his engineering expertise to all his undertakings, particularly shoemaking.
contact: CS@TheIRShow.com
THE USRA MAY EVENT
U.S. Retail Sales Grew 8.1% in May Over Last Year

Retail sales edged slightly down in May from last month, but were still well above last year’s levels.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported today that retail and food service sales in May 2022 totaled $672.9 billion, marking a seasonally adjusted 0.3% decrease from the previous month and a 8.1% leap from May 2021.

The bureau also amended its numbers for April sales to reflect a total of $674.7 billion, or a 0.7% increase from March.

Within retail, consumer spending in May dropped 0.4% from April but was up 6.9% over last May. Sales at gasoline stations spiked 43.2% over last year, while food services and drinking sales were up 17.5% from last year.
What Rolling Back China Tariffs Could Mean for the Footwear Industry

President Biden is reportedly considering rolling back consumer duties on Chinese goods under the Section 301 tariffs that have contributed to rising prices on shoes and other basic consumer goods.

Easing these tariffs, which were introduced by the Trump Administration, would be in line with an effort to mitigate the rampant inflation across the U.S. Consumer prices rose by 8.6% in May compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly report. This number was up from 8.3% growth in April and from the 8.5% growth in March and represented the largest 12-month increase since the period ending December 1981. And just today, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.75% in its largest move resulting from one meeting since 1994.
Consumer Prices Rise 9.1% in June at the Highest Rate in Over 40 Years

Consumer prices surged in June, bringing inflation to a new more than 40-year high.

Consumer prices increased by 9.1% in June compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly report. This number was up from 8.6% growth in May and from the 8.3% growth in April and represented the largest 12-month increase since the period ending November 1981.

Compared to May, prices for June were up 1.3%.

Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.9% year-over-year. Compared to last year, the energy index rose 41.6% and the food index rose 10.4%, marking the largest 12-month increase since the period ending February 1981.
Spending habits are changing. Is your in-store marketing keeping up?

Brick-and-mortar stores won’t be going away anytime soon. According to the National Retail Federation, 80 percent of shopping now takes place in-store. After years of isolated shopping and dining from home, people are eager to get back out into their communities. 

And yet, COVID altered consumer expectations—permanently. What’s more, inflation, high gas prices, and other monetary pressures are influencing where and how people are spending. Consumers want flight-to-value: convenience, affordability, and added value. Many of our clients at Imagine are asking how they can connect their customers’ online experience to the offline experience that only brick-and-mortar can deliver.

The trick to achieving this in such a difficult landscape? Agility. 
USRA INSURANCE PROGRAM
Keith Keokuk
RICS Software
Business Development Manager
317-275-5941
We can help with:
* Open to Buy 
* Inventory Planning
* Marketing
* Point of Sale
* Vendor Negotiations
* Employee Analysis/Sales Training
* Store Management
Success You Can See

Constant Contact is a trusted partner in helping small businesses, non-profits and individuals achieve real results and move their business forward. With all the tools you need to market your ideas, we make it easy to quickly and affordably build a professional brand online, attract customers, and do more business online.

Members of the USRA receive a free trial and then special discounted pricing.

Start marketing your brand today!
EMPLOYEE SOLUTIONS MADE EASY

ADP helps organizations of all types and sizes unlock their potential.

You may only need easy-to-use payroll software or you may be looking for solutions to make other aspects of HR simpler. See what our solutions can do for you.
We Are Two Ten
Footwear Foundation
OUR MISSION IS TO BRING HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY TO THE PEOPLE OF FOOTWEAR

We provide crisis and hardship relief, mental health counseling, academic scholarships, and resources to help American footwear workers and their families thrive.

Two Ten started as a simple gesture of compassion in depression-era 1939, when a group of footwear workers came together at 210 Lincoln Street in Boston to help a colleague who’d fallen on hard times.

In the many years since that first act of kindness, Two Ten has evolved into a national charitable foundation that’s provided millions of dollars in support and services to generations of footwear families.
Get Assistance

**Please Note: We are currently experiencing an extremely high volume of applications for financial assistance due to the COVID-19 crisis. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this global pandemic, and will respond as quickly as we can to each and every application in the order received.**

Two Ten offers emergency financial assistance to footwear employees and their families that have been affected by the COVID-19 global health pandemic. If you are experiencing a financial emergency due to challenges associated with COVID-19 and have been working in the footwear industry part-time, full-time or as a temp for at least one year, we are here to help.

We provide crisis relief including financial assistance, counseling, and information and referral services for eligible footwear industry employees.
COVID RESOURCES FOR YOU