If you’ve ever spent some time shopping the day away in the eastern suburbs, you’re sure to have stumbled across Shouz, the female-owned, SA-owned, family business that’s been curating one of the best local selections of women’s shoes for almost 50 years. Now the brand has expanded far beyond the east, bringing quality shoes to locals all around Adelaide with a brand new store at Westfield Marion.
Shouz was founded back in 1979 by Annette McInerney, who at the time was just 23 years old and stepped out on her own, boutique on King William Road.
“My Mum founded the business in 1979,” shared Shouz GM and Annette’s daughter, Kate Rieger. “We opened our first store on King William Road in Hyde Park, and in 1999, we expanded to Jetty Road in Glenelg. We later opened a store in Mitcham, and in 2005 opened our Norwood location on The Parade.”
Stepping into an industry that was primarily male-dominated was difficult for Annette, but with hard work and dedication, she succeeded. “Although it’s less of a male-dominated industry now, those early years were incredibly tough. People didn’t take Mum seriously, and the idea of a woman with children running a business was seen as unrealistic. She proved every one of those assumptions wrong.”
From the beginning, Annette put her head down and focused on learning what her customers wanted. She was in tune with their style preferences and ensured that she had styles to fit.
“Mum still works on the shop floor six or seven days a week. She knows our customers like the back of her hand,” shared Kate. “When we go buying, we know exactly who we’re choosing styles for. We’ve spent years ensuring we don’t look like every other footwear retailer. Adelaide has such a diverse demographic, so we make sure we cater to everyone from 15-year-olds right through to 95-year-olds, and this diversity now extends to our online customers Australia-wide.”
Today, they have five stores in Hyde Park, Mitcham, Burnside and Norwood, plus their latest addition, Marion. The new Marion store, which opened in March, saw the team expand south, bringing their great range to a new market of customers.
Across their five stores and online, customers can explore a broad mix of brands, including several cult favourites like Django & Juliette, Bresley, EOS, Sala, Rollie & Top End.
Kate added that With Grace has also become a key focus. “We’re putting a lot of energy into developing that brand. Their flats, especially styles like Valentina and Vivienne are elegant and efortless. They’re perfect for women who want something sophisticated without needing to wear heels every day.”
But the undisputed crowd-pleaser remains Django & Juliette. That’s the brand with our biggest following,” Kate said. “Styles such as Atha, Cubbie and Vontey are brand staples and always strong for us, and we carry a number of their other beautiful styles. Their sneakers, like Bump and Huston, have been in our range for seven years now, and customers just keep coming back for new colours.”
So if you’ve been looking to expand your shoe collection this summer, all while supporting a locally owned SA business, there’s no better place to look than Shouz. Find them at their five SA stores or online.
Shouz
Where: Marion: Shop 1054/5, Westfield Marion 297 Diagonal Road, Oaklands Park, SA 5046
Norwood: Shop 1/205 The Parade, Norwood SA 5067
Mitcham: Shop 47 Mitcham Square, 119 Belair Road, Torrens Park SA 5062
Burnside: Shop G136 Burnside Village 447 Portrush Road, Glenside SA 5065
Hyde Park: 140A King William Road, Hyde Park SA 5061
For more information and to shop online, click here.
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