Brunt Workwear is taking the first step to expand beyond its DTC roots.
The startup brand, which launched in 2020 and specializes in boots and apparel for tradespeople, announced Thursday that it will now, for the first time, be available in retail stores via new wholesale partnerships with 23 different retailers including Saf-Gard, Shoeteria, Vanderloops, Haney Shoes, Blue Collar, Trav’s Outfitter, Chuck’s Boots, Workwear Safety. Brunt is now available for purchase at 110 stores across the U.S.
Brunt founder and CEO Eric Girouard told FN in an interview that entering the wholesale channel was an important step in expanding the brand’s reach within a market that is historically driven by sales in that channel. “A big portion of those consumers like to go in and try on the product, feel the product,” Girouard told FN. “[We realized] we were only servicing half of the potential market and were disservicing the other half.”
Each wholesale location carrying the brand will offer a total of 15 shoe SKUS, including updated versions of Brunt’s best-selling workboots, the Marin and Bolduc, as well as a brand new line of work boots, the Ohman. By March, nine stores will carry Brunt apparel, including hoodies, pants, tees and hats.
While Brunt’s announcement represents a bode of confidence for U.S. wholesale, shoe companies like Skechers and VF Corp. reported sales challenges in that channel in their most recent quarters as consumers pulled back on discretionary spending. According to Girouard, Brunt’s position in the non-discretionary work and trade shoe category has sheltered it from broader weakened demand trends.
“We are in a need-based category,” he said. “There’s very little discretionary purchasing for work boots and work apparel that these people need to do their jobs.” Recent government investments in construction and trades have also boosted the category, Girouard added.
Following its initial wholesale launch, Brunt plans to add an additional 25 to 30 partners later this year to reach up to 275 doors. Brunt is also targeting digital marketplaces, such as Amazon and Zappos, as well as larger national chains such as Boot Barn and Tractor Supply.
As for right now, the plan is to start out slowly and deliberately. Once the wholesale foundation is set, Brunt will ramp up efforts in the channel next year.
“2025 is when we’re going to really start to focus on growing that channel from a revenue perspective,” Girouard said, adding that he is aiming for wholesale to make up 50 percent of Brunt’s business by 2027, even as the digital business continues to grow. Girouard also noted that he has entertained the idea of opening Brunt-branded stores one day, though the main focus right now is on wholesale.
In 2024, Brunt is projecting revenues to double for the fourth year in a row. The company has added several high-profile leaders to its team in the last year and just hit its milestone of selling its millionth pair of boots over the weekend.
“Three years ago, we were picking and packing boots out of my garage and now we have a warehouse shipping our millionth boot,” Girouard said. “We’ve come a long way.”
