Red Wing Shoes stores to become 'job centers' on Labor Day

Red Wing Shoes customers on Monday will find more than work boots and leather accessories at its stores. They will also discover job opportunities.

The company, with buy-in from 50 other companies, will turn its 525 stores into "job centers" to promote local employment listings on Labor Day as a way of honoring the holiday and addressing the nation's high unemployment rate caused by the pandemic.

"We really want to champion those skilled laborers and put Labor Day back on the map," said Dave Schneider, chief marketing officer of Red Wing Shoe Co.

Partners in the effort include both Twin Cities and national companies such as General Mills, Land O'Lakes, Polaris, Sleep Number and Toro Co.

Red Wing currently has about 80 openings across its manufacturing, retail and corporate departments. Red Wing's customer-service line, 1-800-733-9464, will temporarily become a job search hotline to connect job candidates to open positions.

Red Wing ran print ads in the New York Times and Star Tribune to promote its campaign and also will devote social media on Monday to the job listings.

"We want to be of service to our consumers," Schneider said. "So many of them are out of work."

In July, the national unemployment rate was 10.2%, a decline from 11.1% the month before but still higher than it had been in the previous 10 years.

Red Wing Shoes leadership hopes the "Labor Day On" campaign will be an annual event moving forward and support the skilled laborers who make up the core of customers for the company's work boots.

"Our goal is really to champion the skill trades," he said.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @nicolenorfleet