naturalizer retail, the company's 366-store chain selling the naturalizer brand of women's shoes in both the u.s. and canada, posted sales of $46,410,000, compared to $45,331,000 for the same period last year. the 198 u.s.-based stores had a same-store sales increase of 1.0 percent for the quarter while the canadian stores had a same-store sales decrease of 1.4 percent for the quarter.
naturalizer opened one store during the quarter and closed 10.
shoes.com sales for the quarter were $6,644,000 compared to $2,832,000 last year. this business continued to post impressive sales gains. the eight via spiga stores added sales of $206,000 for the short period they were owned.
wholesale divisions wholesale sales for the quarter were up 5.7 percent to $181,289,000, versus $171,545,000 last year. brown shoe's wholesale businesses includes its branded products such as naturalizer, lifestride, bass, carlos by carlos santana, and dr. scholl's; the new bennett brands; private label footwear; buster brown & co. kids' footwear, and the company's canadian wholesale operations. nine days of wholesale sales from brands acquired with the bennett acquisition totaled $5,829,000 and are included in the total for the quarter.
wholesale operating earnings were up 36.7 percent at $17,504,000 versus $12,805,000 for the prior year quarter. this favorable comparison was due to business improvements as well as to $3,300,000 in expenses incurred in the fir7 percent at $17,504,000 versus $12,805,000 for the prior year quarter. this favorable comparison was due to business improvements as well as to $3,300,000 in expenses incurred in the first quarter of 2004 to transition the bass line to brown shoe's st. louis headquarters and distribution centers.
marketing@alchempro.com
