Shoe Station Acquired By Shoe Carnival For $67 Million

Shoe Station, a family-owned footwear retailer based in Mobile, has been acquired by Indiana-based Shoe Carnival for $67 million, according to Business Alabama. Terry S. Barkin founded the Mobile chain in 1984 in a former tire and battery store at Bel Air Mall. Terry Barkin passed away in 2016, leaving the presidency of the family-owned chain to Brent Barkin. Brent Barkin will continue to oversee the chain in his new role at Shoe Carnival as senior vice president of business development and integration. Over the years, Shoe Station has maintained partnerships with United Way of Southwest Alabama, Distinguished Young Women, Alabama Public Radio and The University of South Alabama’s Mitchell College of Business. While Shoe Station has been privately held since its founding, Shoe Carnival is a public company trading on the NASDAQ stock market under “SCVL.” This deal marks Shoe Carnival’s first acquisition of another firm. Shoe Station operates 21 locations in five Southeastern states. These stores will continue to trade under the Shoe Station name. Shoe Carnival operates 377 stores in 35 states and Puerto Rico.

Mark Worden