I just got a copy of Focus on Shoes, a trade magazine for shoe, apparel and fashion accessories store. Their November issue featured on the cover our article “Starting a Shoe Retail Store” written by Jenny Fulbright.

Another important article for every entrepreneur looking to start a shoe store is their “10 Most Important Shoe Shows.” We always get questions from our visitors asking us where they can buy inventories to sell for their shoe stores, and one good source of information as well as networking contacts is trade shows. The article says that the following shows are a must for anyone in the shoe retailing business:

1. World Shoe Association – the largest and most comprehensive footwear and related accessories event
2. Magic Marketplace www.magiconline.com – mainly apparel and accessories, though includes footwear as well
3. Fashion Footwear Association of New York www.ffany.org – largest shoe show in the East Coast
4. Shoe Market of the Americas www.smota.com – held 3 times a year in Miami
5. North American Shoe and Accessories Market www.northamericanshoe.com – the 10th largest shoe show in the world
6. Los Angeles Shoe Show www.californiamarketcenter.com
7. Southwest Shoe Expo www.southwestshoeexpo.com – held 5 times a year at Dallas World Trade Center
8. Chicago Shoe Expo www.chicagoshoeexpo.com – a small regional trade show held 4 times a year in Chicago
9. Micam Shoevent www.micamonline – international trade show for medium to high end footwear held twice a year in Milan
10. GDS www.mdna.com – the premier shoe event held twice a year in Dusseldolf, Germany

You can get a copy of Focus on Shoes by visiting their website