Established in 1879, McKinlay’s Footwear operates out of its Glasgow St, South Dunedin factory and was yesterday listed for sale by ABC Business Sales.
Known for its handcrafted leather shoes, the business has been family-owned for five generations and is co-owned by brothers David and Graeme McKinlay, descendants of founder Robert McKinlay.
McKinlay’s produced 130-160 pairs of shoes daily, had a leading market share in school footwear and established international export channels, the listing said.
“This is a turnkey opportunity to step into a proven, profitable and globally recognised footwear brand, with massive potential for growth.”
The asking price was $450,000 plus stock which was estimated between $150,000 and $450,000.
There was also an option to acquire the land and building alongside the business.
The business had operated an outlet store in George St until about 10 years ago when it opened its Glasgow St store.
The company also made shoes for several film and television productions, including King Kong, The Lord of the Rings and Power Rangers.
In 2012, the Otago Daily Times reported the business had created 200 one-of-a-kind boots for Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy.
The company’s ability to meet tight production schedules gave it an advantage over foreign counterparts, “as they ring you on Monday and want them on Thursday”, Graeme said at the time.
Graeme and David were unable to reached for comment yesterday.
—Allied Media
