Iconic shoe store that dates back 148 years nominated for new Adelaide Hall of Fame

SHOES have been in one Adelaide retailing family for almost 150 years — and that’s set to continue as its store is nominated in the Hall of Fame category for the 2016 The City Awards. Here are the details.

15/4/16 - Launch story for City Awards nominations opening. We have a new category this year on Hall of Famers for well established city businesses, Grundys shoes storeoriginal owner in 1910 Mr T Judd (holding vcane) - pic supplied by store

• The 2015 City Awards: All the winners revealed

• TELL US BELOW: Who’d you like to see nominated?

DAMIEN Whittenbury remembers visiting Grundy’s as a child and helping shine the shoes as they went onto the shelf.

“I used to come in, in the school holidays and clean the boots to get a bit of pocket money and head to the movies,” Mr Whittenbury says.

“Dad has always been in the business, since he was 15, and when he retired 10 years ago that’s when I took over with my brother Gavin.”

Shoes have long been in the blood of the Whittenbury family, who bought the business in 1921 with the Judd family.

Before that, the families had owned shoe stores since 1868.

“We’ve been trading on Rundle St since 1868,” Mr Whittenbury says.

“Then we moved up in 1921 and bought the store we’re currently in.

“Thomas Judd came out in 1868 and had a son called Clarence, who didn’t have any sons but had a daughter called Vera.

“So my great grandfather married Vera Judd then it went down into the Whittenbury family.

“The secret is knowing your business, knowing your customer and being adaptable to change.”

Grundy’s Shoes is one of the well-established businesses in the city, anchored in the heart and ‘sole’ of Adelaide.

The store will be nominating in the Hall of Fame category for the 2016 The City Awards, sponsored by Adelaide City Council.

Nominations are now open in 17 categories, spanning favourites from last year’s inaugural awards such as best small bar and best new restaurant, as well as a host of new fields including the prestigious Hall of Fame Award for CBD and North Adelaide businesses which have been operating for more than 25 years.

Businesses have two weeks to nominate in the open categories, which close on Friday, May 6, before the awards are opened up to public vote.

Winners will then be selected based on public vote and the scrutiny of a panel of expert judges.

So don’t delay — if you’re a city business or work, study or play in the CBD or North Adelaide, now’s your time to speak up and submit a nomination.

Nominations can be made at: advertiser.com.au/cityawards.

TELL US BELOW: Who’d you like to see nominated in the 2016 The City Awards, sponsored by Adelaide City Council.

Grundys shoes store manager Damien Whittenbury.

Award Categories

Best small bar

Best pub or bar

Best new restaurant or cafe (operating for less than 12 months)

Best established restaurant (operating for more than 12 months)

Best coffee (takeaway)

Best cafe

Best lunch-on-the-run

Best beer garden

Best interior fitout or shopfront

Best theatre or gallery or cultural space

Best live music venue

Best fashion boutique

Hall of Fame Award (business that has been established for 25 years or more)

Best retail customer experience

Best retail and hospitality talent (and individual worker)

Best new retail business (opened in last 12 months)

Best hair and beauty salon or spa