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Dive Brief:
Journeys owner Genesco Inc. has shuffled its portfolio and shaken up its leadership, creating the Journeys Global Retail Group.
That entity now houses its Journeys, Schuh and Little Burgundy teen brands, the company said Tuesday.
Andy Gray has been named Journeys Global Retail Group CEO. Previously Journeys president, he arrived in January 2024 after over 20 years at Foot Locker. Chris Santaella, who arrived around the same time as Gray, with more than 30 years at Foot Locker, is chief merchant.
Dive Insight:
Before consolidating its teen brands, Genesco had already begun a revamp at Journeys — its top performer, with Q2 comp growth of 9% — that includes store renovations, product elevation and marketing.
The mall brand has gained share in the last year or so. The aim is to reach a teen market that is six to seven times bigger than what Journeys has achieved historically, Genesco CEO Mimi Vaughn told analysts last month.
“Improving Journeys’ performance has been our No. 1 priority,” she said.
Chris Santaella, who spent more than 30 years at Foot Locker, has been named chief merchant at the Journeys Global Retail Group.
Genesco Inc.
In a statement regarding the brand shakeup Tuesday, Vaughn described Journeys, Schuh and Little Burgundy as “the destination retailers for the young, style-led female across their respective markets” and said the company sees “clear opportunities in every market to grow share by reaching more consumers as we strengthen our brand awareness and elevate our experiences.”
Journeys runs more than 800 stores across the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada, including Montreal-based Little Burgundy. Schuh Group, where Q2 comps dropped 4%, runs more than 120 stores in the U.K. and Ireland. Outside the teen market, Genesco runs apparel and footwear retail and wholesale brand Johnston & Murphy. The company also develops footwear under exclusive licenses with partners including Wrangler, Dockers, Starter and Pony.
Footwear remains a challenged category, with tariffs disrupting it further. In the first half of the year, U.S. footwear dollar sales fell 1% and units sold fell 2%, while the average selling price rose 2%, according to Circana’s Retail Tracking Service.
Still, at Genesco, the “holiday season setup looks favorable,” with Journeys likely “driving top-line growth and SG&A leverage,” according to Jefferies analysts led by Corey Tarlowe.
“Strong back-to-school momentum, elevated store experience, and new marketing campaigns position Genesco well for holiday,” they said in an August client note.