Melnick's sold to Bootlegger's

Melnick's Shoe and Athletic Center, a mainstay in downtown since 1936, has changed hands. Kevin Sullivan, who has owned and operated Melnick's since 1979, confirmed yesterday that he has sold the business, but not the real estate, to Bootlegger's Footwear Centers for a sum that he politely declined to disclose.

"The Lakes Region has continued to patronize and support Melnick's over all the years," Sullivan said, "and for that I am extremely thankful."

Bootlegger's, which is the retail arm of the Miltner Shoe Corporation of Rochester, New Hampshire, operates six stores in New Hampshire and another in Massachusetts. Sullivan said the deal grew out of a chance conversation with Al Miltner, president of Bootlegger's, last summer. "We had a relationship in the trade," he said, "and when I remarked I would like to be less of the one-man band that I am, he asked 'is that something we can talk about?'"

As a principal in various partnerships that own the properties on both sides of Main Street north of Sawyer's Jewelry to Pleasant Street, Sullivan said that between running the store and managing 21 tenants he was working two full-time jobs.

Sullivan will be Bootlegger's landlord. "They signed a long-term lease that showed a real commitment to downtown," he said. Bootlegger's will continue to operate the store under the Melnick's name and most of the employees will remain. At Miltner's request, the Melnick's store on Main Street in Plymouth was closed, although the inventory was included in the transaction.

Sullivan described Bootlegger's as a "good fit" and doubted that customers would experience a dramatic change in the operation of the store. "I would guess 80-percent of our inventory is exactly the same," he said, "and they are trained to service customers like I have done."

In a formal statement, Miltner said that "Melnick's has been a leader in the Lakes Region for many years and their merchandising mix and commitment to customer service is a perfect fit for Bootlegger's. In the future customers can expect to find everything they loved about Melnick's and now more."

Sullivan began working for Samuel Melnick, who founded the business, when he was a 14-year-old high school student. "I worked for the Melnick family, Samuel and his son Michael, for seven years, in high school and through college," he said. "I was working there when urban renewal had just begun. We were in a temporary building for a year before we moved to where the store is now."

After 35 years, Sullivan said that "we've been pretty fortunate to thrive in a very competitive business." He traced Melnick's success to continual adjustments to an ever changing and more crowded marketplace, with competition from big box retailers, the internet and outlet stores, some operated by Melnick's suppliers. "We've introduced clothing lines," he said. "When the outlet mall opened in Tilton we lost our women customers, but the work boot business has paid big dividends," Sullivan continued. "We've remained a successful, vibrant business by continually changing with the times."

He noted that "the resources and depth of the Bootlegger's operation are key components for the independent retail business today."

Sullivan will remain a presence at the store, helping with the transition until May. "I hope that our loyal customer base will welcome the new owners and continue to support the store that has meant so much to me and my family." He also will continue to be involved in efforts to enrich and enliven downtown through his ownership and management of commercial properties. "I have a lifelong love of Laconia and have tried to give back to the community and keep downtown Laconia a vibrant part of the area," he said.