Clarks is trying to get a toehold for its new store concept, flip-flop brand Cloudsteppers, in the United States with a first location in Texas.
British shoemaker Clarks debuted a 1,255-square-foot Cloudsteppers store this month at the 1 million-square-foot La Palmera mall at 5488 Sthis month. Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi, a beachside town on the Gulf Coast.
Clarks has just started rolling out standalone stores for Cloudsteppers, with several recently opening in Malayasia. Clarks already has a fleet of shoe stores globally for its namesake brand.
Cloudsteppers, America’s No.1 flip-flop brand for women, is entering a casual footwear arena that already has incumbent players. There's already a 3,900-square-foot Crocs store at La Palmera, and Crocs has 199 retail locations in North America as well as 228 stores internationally. And flip-flop seller Havaianas has some standalone stores.
Nonetheless, Clarks has ambitions for Cloudsteppers' domestic rollout. Clarks confirmed to CoStar News on Thursday that it has a trio of leases for stores to open in the first quarter next year, with plans to debut another five in the second half of 2026.
It aims to have 12 U.S. Cloudsteppers stores by the end of next year.
Clarks is expanding Cloudsteppers, whose most popular style is the Breeze Sea flip-flop, into a lifestyle brand that goes beyond sandals and ultra-light sneakers.
The Corpus Christi store is also selling T-shirts, hoodies, caps and water bottles. And next year, Cloudsteppers will offer menswear items, including sandals, sneakers and apparel.
“Launching Cloudsteppers as a standalone lifestyle concept is a major milestone for us," Peter Quirke, Clarks vice president of retail in the Americas, said in a statement. "Cloudsteppers has really grown into its own in America."
The brand's evolution will give "consumers even more to enjoy with an in-life retail experience and an extended range,” according to Quirke.
Clarks itself will turn 200 years old this year, getting its start after brothers James and Cyrus Clark made a slipper from sheepskin cut-offs.