May 5, 2022 at 12:06 p.m.
Danner's Shoe Store to close
'It's just a different kind of world out there now'
Danner's Shoe Store to close
Jon Danner, the grandson of Danner's Shoe Store founder Norman Danner, announced this week that he is closing the store that has been operated by his family since the Great Depression.
Signs announcing the closure are posted at the storefront at 32 W. Davenport Street, Danner said in an interview with the River News.
Changing shopping trends and difficulty securing inventory prompted the move, he explained, calling the decision "bittersweet".
"It's just a different kind of world out there now," he said. "There's just not as many vendors downtown, as far as merchandising, like it used to be when you had DeByle's and Ben Franklin and Penney's. It's changed."
"You don't get people wandering around as much," he added, referring to foot traffic in the downtown business district.
"I knew eventually I would have to (close)," he explained. "It's time. It's just hard to get things, inventory, the good stuff."
Like many businesses across the country, the store was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and the more recent supply chain issues, Danner noted.
"(The pandemic) has changed a lot of people, the way they shop," he said. "(People) can go online (to buy shoes) and the bigger places are getting (product) first. Last year they didn't ship a lot of stuff, a lot of the companies."
He said he was forced to close the store for about a month and half during the heart of the pandemic, as it was deemed "non-essential" despite the fact that Danner's sells footwear worn by essential workers.
"I tried to fight it and they sent me a letter that no (it's not essential) even though I carry safety toes, police boots, stuff like that."
"It just wasn't as much fun coming in with all this going on," he added. "You can't get stuff and so it's time (to close)."
Danner's has certainly seen a lot of change over the years, starting from its humble beginnings when Norman Danner rented "a storefront on the corner" back in 1929.
According to Rhinelander Daily News archives, the move to 32 W. Davenport Street, the store's third and final location, took place in May of 1976.
Jon Danner formally took over the business from his father in the mid-1990s, according to newspaper archives.
"My grandparents started the business, my parents bought it from them, and I grew up helping my parents at the store," he told the River News for a 2013 "I Buy Local" spotlight feature story. "It was a natural progression for me to continue the family business, and we purchased the store in 1995."
"I've been here 44 years working fulltime, but I was always here before that helping out on and off," he said, noting that he wants to complete the process of closing the store before determining any future plans.
'I'll find something to do," he noted.
Danner's has long been known for its customer service as well as its high-quality footwear including men's and women's casual/dress shoes, walking/athletic shoes, and hunting/work boots.
"We are most proud of the high quality of products that we carry and our loyal customers who sometimes drive 2-3 hours to buy shoes/boots because of our service," Danner noted in the 2013 feature story
Danner estimated it will take a month or two for all of the existing inventory to be sold and indicated that special sales are planned. He stressed that he wants the community to know how much the family has appreciated the support it has received from the generations of Rhinelander residents who have looked to them for all of their footwear needs.
"I want to say thanks to all the customers for all the years," he said.
Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].
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