For most of the 20th century, American consumers relied on small local shoe stores to fulfill all of their footwear needs. Then big sporting goods retailers arrived on the scene followed by sophisticated online operations like Zappos. Although this increased competition forced some independent outlets to close, many others managed to survive thanks to their high level of service. At Colburn Shoe Store in Maine, for example, employees remember exactly what size shoe their customers wear as well as their Continue reading
