Boot Scootin’: We’re giving you a sneak peek at R.M. Williams new flagship store in Rundle Mall
Can’t wait to check out R.M. Williams new flagship store in Rundle Mall? You don’t have to – we’re giving you a sneak peek.
Lifestyle
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Rundle Mall is the perfect place for a new R.M. Williams flagship store because the SA-born brand is as iconic as the Mall’s Balls.
That’s the view of Allyson Edwards, 51, of Salisbury, who, with The Advertiser, was invited to have a first look at the space in Rundle Place, ahead of it opening to the public on Friday.
And Ms Edwards was more than qualified to take a sneak peek, having close to three decades of experience under her R.M. Williams belt.
A longtime employee of the company founded in the Flinders Ranges in 1932, she is a footwear team leader at its Salisbury workshop.
R.M. Williams looks to expand its factory and double its workforce
“Saddle dressing is in my blood,” Ms Edwards says, referring to her family’s strong association with the world-famous bootmaker.
“I’ve been there for 27 years and my grandfather, grandmother, mum and aunties all worked there, plus my four sons,
“I’m the third generation of four generations (of employees) and very proud.”
R.M.Williams chief executive Paul Grosmann said the flagship, which spans 227 sqm, had created 15 local jobs, including that of store director.
“This store is a step up in terms of quality and craftsmanship in line with our strong
commitment to local manufacturing,” he said.
Also representing the brand’s focus on innovation and sustainability, the flagship’s concept was created in partnership with Melbourne-based designers ACRD.
It features sustainable fittings, such as pieces that Made By Morgen, also of Melbourne, has fashioned from Hydrowood timber dredged from a drowned forest in Tasmania.
With an eight-metre-wide digital screen showcasing footage of the Flinders Ranges and other SA landscapes, produced by local videographer Isaac Forman, the store also has a curved boot wall.
Paying homage to the heel of the R.M. Williams boot, it is where the brand’s signature handcrafted styles are displayed.
It was of particular interest to Ms Edwards, whose late grandfather Tony Scanlon worked with founder Reginald Murray “R.M. ” Williams as the footwear supervisor.
It was a job that involved globetrotting to source the best-quality leather from countries including Argentina.
“He was a very intelligent man, who was very passionate about quality,” Ms Edwards said of her grandfather, adding: “Whenever R.M. came into the workshop he and my papa got along like a house on fire,
“They would sit in the office for hours on end chatting … they had a very healthy respect for each other.”
R.M. who died in 2003 was even a presence at Mr Scanlon’s funeral, following his death at age 91 from pancreatic cancer a month ago.
At Mr Scanlon’s request, two of his most prized possessions – a photograph of himself with R.M. and his retirement present from the company, a boot on a plaque – were placed on his coffin.
Recounting how thrilled she and her colleagues were when R.M. Williams returned to Australian ownership in 2020, Ms Edwards said the new flagship store was the “perfect” partnership between the brand and Rundle Mall.
“It should have been here forever,” she said. “Everybody knows R.M. Williams, it’s as iconic as the Mall’s Balls.”
The store is hosting an invitation only event for VIP customers on Thursday and will open to the public on Friday.
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