Madison, Heart of New York was founded by Shane and Pauline McEvoy in December 2009. A new shop recently opened its doors in Woodlands Boulevard. Madison’s aim is to provide shoes to the young, modern and sophisticated woman.
How did your business start?
After falling in love with the city of New York in 2006 we started to dream about bringing New York fashion to South Africa. After three years of pondering and dreaming we packed in our permanent jobs, threw caution to the wind and Madison – The Heart of New York was born.
Why did you choose this area to set up shop?
Pretoria East and off course Woodlands Boulevard, being the aspirational area that it is, was the perfect area to launch Madison – The Heart of New York into the Pretoria area as a whole. With the boutique feel of Woodlands Boulevard and with easy access to the amazing variety of stores, it was the perfect fit.
How did you find your premises?
We had a store in Canal Walk in Cape Town and Woodlands Boulevard was recommended as part of the Hyprop Investments Group portfolio. We contacted the mall and the store we are currently in was offered.
Why are the premises ideally suited to your business?
The store location in the mall and size was perfect to launch our first Pretoria store.
Who are your neighbours?
Our neighbours are Green Cross Shoes and Sissy Boy Jeans.
What are the shop rental prices like in this area?
The shop rentals are quite reasonable.
What is your shop footprint?
Between 50 and 100 people visit our shop daily, depending on the day of the month.
Do you have any expansion plans?
We currently have a pop-up store in Clearwater Mall and have gone permanent in East Rand Mall. We are currently in the process of finalising more stores as we speak.
Do you operate online as well?
Yes, our online retail stores can be accessed through our website. We deliver nationally.
What’s your most popular item?
Our sexy courts shoes are a stable all year round bestseller. The Chantelle courts are also one of our bestsellers. The Madison heeled sandals are also a hot item on most buyers’ shopping lists.
076 199 8700
Words: Zena le Roux
Images: Supplied
