Skechers is opening its second retail store in Auckland City’s CBD.

The new site for the global shoe brand is 222 Queen Street, with the 147sqm providing space to showcase more than 500 models, including exclusively stocked styles.

The opening of the new store follows the success of the brand in NZ and Australia.

The first NZ Skechers store, opened in Auckland’s Westfield St Lukes in November 2014, has performed well ahead of expectations, prompting the launch of a second store.

Sales are up 30 per cent on last year, demonstrating a strong demand for the Skechers brand in NZ, Brian Maginness, Skechers’ GM Australia and New Zealand, said.

The brand has a strong international retail strategy that is being adopted in this part of the world, he said.

“We also believe there is room for more stores across both Australia and New Zealand. Queen Street’s opening will take us to 28 stores across both countries and we anticipate reaching up to 40 stores by the end of 2015.”

The combination of dual own store and independent retailer strategy is right for the NZ market, Maginness said.

“Having Skechers’ concept stores allows us to reach factory minimums on a wider offering which in turn benefits the consumers in NZ and Australia. More sales means more spend on marketing, which in turn benefits our wholesale independent accounts.”

The growth curve that the brand is experiencing in all markets is largely due to the company’s focus on product innovation, Maginness said. Success has followed the launch of the Skechers GOwalk sub category, and the addition of Memory Foam into a large range of the footwear.

“Kiwis and Australians have taken to Skechers with a passion since their introduction more than 20 years ago. We are anticipating we will continue to see the phenomenal growth evidenced in many other markets repeated here,” Maginness said.