ONE MAN AND A BOLD DREAM
Aldo Bensadoun, son of a shoe merchant, grandson of a cobbler – set out to realize a dream. Armed with passion and a deep-rooted understanding of the shoe business, he envisioned a different kind of company, a brand that cares.
Aldo Bensadoun pledged to build his company on a commitment to compassion, ethics, and understanding the customer in order to offer them the best possible products and services. Since 1972, this philosophy has fuelled ALDO`s constant innovation and steady striving to be the best it can be for its customers.
Today, the ALDO is one of the world’s leading fashion retailers, with more than 20,000 team members worldwide and nearly 200 million customers visiting our stores each year. Specializing in the design and production of quality, stylish and accessible footwear and accessories, the ALDO has an unsurpassed knowledge of the shoe retail business. This expertise has enabled us to cover all corners of the footwear market with our four signature brands. While all distinct in character, the ALDO Group family of brands all beat with the same heart – an energetic core containing the spirit and vision of one man and his dream.
Since the very first ALDO store opened its doors in downtown Montreal in 1972, this pioneering company has gone from one strength to another, consistently striving to be the best it can be for its customers. In 1993, we sought to bring our product and our brand beyond the Canadian borders and we opened our first store in the U.S. This was closely followed by the first franchise store in Israel in 1995, and we have not slowed down since.
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TIMELINE:
1966 Home Base Aldo Bensadoun completes his French military service, teaching Economics at the École de Cavalerie de Saumur. Shortly thereafter, he returns to Montreal, his favorite city!
1972, ALDO Shoes is established as a footwear concession inside a popular Montreal based clothing retailer. The original company includes four leased concessions in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City and Winnipeg.
1978, The first free standing ALDO store opens on Sainte-Catherine Street in Montreal, Canada, ending the practice of leased departments within the chain of clothing fashion boutiques.
1980’s, The company grows at a tremendous pace, opening 95 freestanding ALDO stores.
1993, ALDO initiates its retail entry into the U.S. market. The first ALDO U.S. store opens near Boston, Massachusetts. Over the course of the next 9 years, approximately 125 stores open across the U.S. alone. By the end of this period ALDO also operates over 180 successful stores in top malls and key fashion street locations in all major Canadian urban centers.
1994, ALDO ventures outside of North America under a franchise agreement in Israel.
2001, ALDO’s success in Israel sets the course for an International business model. ALDO grants franchise rights in United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states. A third franchise is granted in Saudi Arabia.
2002, ALDO graces the high streets of London, England, opening prime locations including Oxford and Neal Streets. The brand even finds its way to the English countryside, opening in several mall locations. Being one of the world’s most dynamic fashion & retail markets, the UK is a natural fit for corporate expansion.
2003, ALDO expands to Asia, opening its doors in Singapore.
2004, With the success of ALDO’s stores in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, the brand continues its global expansion into Portugal, Denmark, Malaysia, and Lebanon.
2005, ALDO is on the rise with new market openings in Country, Ireland, India, South Africa and Poland.
2006, Continuing Expansion Another exciting year of growth as ALDO opens in Thailand, Taiwan, Russia, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan.
2007, Turkey, Romania, Venezuela, Panama, Indonesia, Philippines, Ukraine, Mexico, Czech Republic and Aruba all join the ALDO family.
2008, ALDO opens its doors in Serbia and Montenegro.
2009, Spain, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Cyprus join the ALDO family. ALDO now operates across all continents except Antarctica!
2010, ALDO now has stores in Malta, Senegal, Libya, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion Island, Cote D’Ivoire, Congo, Gabon and Honduras.
By the end of 2013, the ALDO Group had more than 1,750 stores around the globe, operating on all continents except Antarctica.
