Century-old Alpena shoe stores join forces

Jim Masters and Paul Detloff shared the same priority: strengthening the tradition their shoe stores had built over more than 100 years in downtown Alpena.

Masters was fourth-generation owner and operator of 123-year-old Masters Shoes, one of Alpena’s oldest businesses. A few blocks away, Detloff managed 103-year-old LaLonde Shoe Store, also one of the city’s longest-running retailers.

Though LaLonde had shifted its focus to a younger clientele, the two stores’ merchandise overlapped considerably, and they found themselves competing for many of the same customers.

The solution: the two longtime friends decided to pool their 90 years of shoe retailing experience and merge their stores under one roof.

After renovating the Masters Shoes location on Second Avenue and holding a clearance sale at LaLonde, Masters and Detloff consolidated their operations on April 1 and became co-managers of Masters-LaLonde Shoes.

They’ve been very pleased with the results so far. The combined store carries a wider variety of merchandise and continues to attract loyal customers from both locations.

“It’s been very successful,” said Masters. “It looks like maybe we should have done it years ago.”

Masters and Detloff believe the merger will strengthen the business and enable them to serve customers more effectively - their key competitive weapon.

“That’s what an independent store is all about - service,” said Detloff.

“The reason for our success is service to the consumer,” added Masters. “We bend over backward to accommodate the consumer. We carry quality merchandise and haven’t competed directly with the discount stores.”

Both men started in the shoe business as teenagers—Masters working under his father, Toby, and Detloff working for Bud LaLonde, the second generation of the LaLonde family to operate the store.

Masters became co-owner and manager with his father in 1969, after graduating from the University of Michigan and serving in the military. Detloff took over as manager of LaLonde Shoe Store in 1971, when Bud LaLonde died. His wife, Arlene, joined the business then and still works in the store.

They’ve seen many changes during their 40-plus years as shoe retailers.

One of the biggest, said Detloff, is advanced technology. Orthotic inserts, fiberglass arches, foam cushions, air pockets and other high-tech designs make shoes more comfortable and enable customers to get a better fit.

“The emphasis today is on fit,” he said. “People today are very focused on walking and running. They want to know the technology.”

Detloff uses industry seminars, videos and publications to keep abreast of the latest developments so he can educate customers.
“There are so many different brands that are trying to outdo each other in technology,” he said. “When I’m working with a customer, I like to tell them what they’re getting.”

Style remains a bigger factor with customers, too, Detloff said. The wide variety available now is a far cry from his early days in the business, when shoes by different manufacturers all looked pretty much alike.

Masters noted that growth in credit card usage has been a boon to business by eliminating most store charge accounts.

“That technology has certainly been an asset to retailers,” he said. “If you didn’t have that ability today you’d probably be out of business.”

The retail environment in Alpena has changed considerably, starting when J.C. Penney moved to the outskirts of town 25 years ago. Since then, a mall has been built and other large retailers have moved into different parts of town.

Masters noted that while there are vacancies he’d like to see filled in the downtown, the mall has also been plagued with vacant storefronts.

“The Alpena area has not grown much in population, but we’ve increased the retail square footage significantly,” said Masters. “It’s been a difficult era to witness because the areas aren’t as successful as they could have been if we had consolidated all the businesses in one area.”

The two businessmen are highly involved in the Alpena community. Both have served as president of the downtown merchants’ association and on the Chamber of Commerce board.

Masters is president of the Doctors Hunting Club and sits on the board of the Alpena Community College Foundation. Detloff spent 28 years as chairman of the Alpena Christmas parade, growing it to the second largest in Michigan.

Both are longtime members of Michigan Retailers Association and strong believers in the Association’s purpose. Masters and Detloff served on the board of the Michigan Shoe Association, a division of MRA.

Detloff said it’s essential to have a group like MRA to advocate for retailers in the legislative process.

“You have to have a strong unit, and Michigan Retailers is,” he said. “They’re always there if you have a problem.”

One goal of the merger was to give the principals more free time for activities like hunting, fishing, golf, tennis and visiting family. So far, though, the volume of customers at the combined store has been so strong that Masters and Detloff haven’t been able to relax their pace much.

“We seem to have taken most of the business from one store to the other, so we’re twice as busy,” Masters said. “It’s a little harder to get away than I thought.”

Masters and Detloff agreed they have enjoyed their years in the shoe business and relish the challenges of retail.

“It’s always a pleasure to be your own boss because it gives you a little more independence,” said Masters. “You have the satisfaction, if you’re successful, of knowing you created that success yourself.”

Detloff especially likes the interaction with customers in the store.

“I love selling, I love meeting people,” he said. “You start talking to people and pretty soon you know their life history. Being in a small community, it’s hard not to know everyone. It’s a good feeling.”

This article was written by Michigan Retailer staff writer Rachel Whitaker.

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