Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, footwear brand Loeffler Randall has experienced its fair share of industry highs and lows. Of course, a recent low was the height of the pandemic in early 2020. But since that time, when it faced “scarring” challenges, the brand has been in growth mode, co-founder Brian Murphy said on the Glossy Podcast. For example, it has opened its first two stores, entered new product categories and expanded its headquarters to accommodate a growing team. It’s also tripled the size of the business.  On the podcast episode, Murphy breaks down Loeffler Randall’s approach to physical retail, which has resulted in its 750-square-foot NYC store doing $1.3 million in annual sales. He also talks through the company’s international ambitions and its strategy for becoming an $80-million, 100-employee company within the next 18 months.

In 2015, Rob Ronen and Michael Herman co-founded Material Good, a retailer specializing in fine jewelry and rare timepieces that first opened in New York City's Soho neighborhood. They had no backers — and still own 100% of the business — but they had years of experience working for Audemars Piguet and in the private jewelry sector, respectively. And they'd defined a white space that was particularly glaring in lower Manhattan.   "The retail experience that was being offered was subpar," Ronen said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "I would go to different retailers … that were carrying high-end timepieces, and I noticed that it was all about product and price. A client would walk into a store, they would ask for a specific product or ask to be shown different price point products, and then they would haggle and negotiate over price — because that was still a time when discounts were prevalent in the watch world. … It was not experiential. I felt like there would be something we could do better."  The first store served as a proof of concept, even attracting Hailey Bieber and John Mayer, among other celebrity shoppers. So, eight years after its opening, in early December 2023, the founders opened a second store in Miami. Along with discussing the company's unique approach to physical retail, Ronen spoke on the podcast about how it's meeting the standards of discerning luxury shoppers while also appealing to aspirational consumers.