FOOTWEAR brand Skechers has submitted plans for a new shop on Princes Street, just 200 feet from the existing store.
The American shoe shop opened its first Edinburgh store in 2015 and now, with the 10-year lease set to wrap up, has set its sights on the nearby Castle Gifts store.
Skechers is one of the largest footwear companies in the world and also has shops in Fort Kinnaird and Livingston Designer Outlet.
It is set to move into the lot on 85 Princes Street, which was previously home to sweet shop Kingdom of Sweets and H&M before that.
Skechers submitted plans to fit out the retail unit on Princes Street last week, with application documents recently validated.
The shoe shop specialises in comfortable, casual and athletic styles of trainers, sandals and boots.
Its application states that alterations “intend to preserve the character of the streetscape while enhancing the internal design to meet current building regulations”, since the building is in a Category A Conservation Area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is part of the New Club complex, which was designed in the 1960s, and three floors of the building will be used by Skechers.
The ground floor will be the actual shop and the only section open to customers, whereas the basement will be mothballed and the first floor used for stock and staff welfare facilities.
The existing Skechers store is at 79 Princes Street, just six doors down from the Castle Gifts store, which specialises in Edinburgh-based souvenirs and trinkets.
Skechers secured a ten-year lease in 2015 and are now looking to move into the site down the road, which was recently advertised to rent through Savills.
The shop sits next to HMV and Ann Summers, with the ground floor covering almost 3,800 square feet.
Skechers has been contacted for comment.
